| Word | Alt. spelling | Translation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aah! | aaah, aaaahh | "Help!" | "Aaaah! It's eating my leg!" | Fright, shock. Sometimes it means "ahh" instead. |
| aha | a-ha | "I understand" | "Aha! So you took the money!" | Understanding, triumph (can also be used as "ahh") |
| ahh | ahhh | "Ok, I see" | "Ahh, yes, I understand now" | Realisation, understanding. Sometimes it means "aaah" or "eh" instead. |
| argh | "Damn!" | "Argh, the car won't work!" | Annoyance, anger, frustration | |
| aw | aww, awww | "How sweet!" | "Aww, what an adorable puppy" | Shows sentimental approval. (clip from Futurama). |
| aw | oh, ah | "That's too bad" | "Aw man, it hit him right in the nuts" | Feeling sorry or pity for someone |
| bah | "Whatever" | "Bah, I never liked him anyways." | Dismissive, annoyed | |
| boo | booh | "That's bad" | "Boo, get off the stage!" | Disapproval, contempt (also something to yell to surprise people) |
| brr | brrrr | "It's cold" | "Brrr, it's -20C outside" | Being cold, shivering |
| eek | eeeek | "Help!" | "Eeek, a mouse!" | Girly scream. Surprised, scared. |
| eep | "Oh no!" | "Eep! I didn't mean to say that!" | Surprise (female) | |
| eh? | "What?" | "Eh? I didn't hear what you said." | Misunderstanding. Also see "huh?" | |
| eww | ewwww | "Disgusting" | "Ewww, this apple is rotten" | Disgust, dislike |
| grr | grrrr | "I'm angry" | "Grrr, I'll kick his ass" | Anger, snarling, growling. Often used for dogs and other animals. |
| hmm | hm, hmmmm | "I wonder" | "Hmm, I'm not sure about that" | Thinking, hesitation. |
| huh | "Really?" | "Huh, you were right" | Mild, indifferent surprise | |
| huh? | eh? | "Is that right?" | "So she dumped you, huh?" | Asking for confirmation |
| ich | yuk | "Disgusting" | "Blerch, this apple is rotten" | Disgust, dislike |
| meh | eh | "Who cares" | "Meh, whatever you think is best" | Indifference |
| mhm | mmhm, uh-hu | "Yes" | "Do you think so too?" "Mhm" | Agreement, acknowledgement. |
| mm | mmm, mmh | "Lovely" | "Mmm, this ice cream is delicious" | Pleasure. Sometimes it means "hmm" instead. |
| oh | "I see" | "Oh, you wanted sugar, not milk." | Realisation | |
| ooh | oooh | "Wonderful!" | "Oooh, it's shiny!" | Wonder, amazement (ohhh can also mean ahhh) |
| ooh-la-la | oh-lala | "Fancy!" | "A seven layer wedding cake? Ooh-la-la!" | An often ironic (or just funny) way indicating that something is fancy or high class |
| oomph | umph | "I'm exerting myself" | "Push on 3.. 1, 2, 3.. oomph!" | A grunt made on sudden exertion. Also used as a noun to mean "power" or "energy" ("This song needs more oomph!") |
| oops | "I didn't mean to do that" | "Oops, I knocked over your cup" | Being surprised at or acknowledging your own mistakes | |
| ow | oww, ouch | "That hurts" | "Oww, I hit my thumb" | Pain |
| oy | oi, oyh | "Hey, you!" | "Oy! You forgot your wallet!" | Used to get someone's attention, similar to "hey!". Also used disapprovingly ("Oy, you spilled your drink all over me!") |
| pff | pffh, pssh, pfft | "That's nothing" | "Pff, I once caught a fish twice that size" | Unimpressed |
| sheesh | jeez | "I can't believe this!" | "Sheesh, now he's drunk again" | Exasperation, annoyance (corruption of "Jesus") |
| shh | hush, shush | "Be quiet" | "Shh, I'm trying to hear what they're saying!" | Used to make someone be quiet |
| tsk-tsk | tut-tut | "Disappointing" | "Tsk-tsk, he is late for work again" | disappointment, contempt (this is a clicking sound. Clip from Futurama) |
| uh-hu | mhm | "Yes" | "Do you think so too?" "Uh-hu" | Agreement, acknowledgement. |
| uh-oh | oh-oh | "Oh no!" | "Uh-oh, I think the bear is inside the house" | Concerned for indications that something will happen |
| uhh | uhm, err | "Wait, I'm thinking" | "Seven times eight is... uhh... 56" | Indicates a pause in, rather than the end of, a sentence |
| whoa | "Unbelievable!" | "Whoa, I just looked at it and it broke!" | Confounded, surprised and amazed. In popular culture, marijuana smokers are often depicted with this exclamation (originally a sound used to make horses stop) | |
| wow | "Amazing!" | "Wow, that's incredible!" | Impressed, astonished | |
| yuk | ich | "Disgusting!" | "Yuk, I wouldn't want to touch that" | Disgust, dislike |
| zing | bada-zing, ba-dump tish | "Haha, well said!" | "You're so stupid, you'd trip over a wireless phone!" "Zing!" | Used (often ironically) to punctuate a punchline or witty comeback. From the sound of a rimshot, played after punchlines in some comedy acts. |
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