| Word | Alternate/ Similar | 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") |
| ahem | "Attention, please!" | "Ahem! Swearing is against office policy." | The sound of clearing one's throat. Used to get someone's attention, especially if they don't know (or apparently forgot) that you're there. | |
| ahh | ahhh, ohh | "Ok, I see" | "Ahh, yes, I understand now" | Realisation, understanding. Sometimes it means "aaah" or "eh" instead. |
| ahh | ahhh.. | "So relaxing" | "Ahh... This hot tub is amazing" | Relief or relaxation |
| argh | augh | "Damn!" | "Argh, the car won't work!" | Annoyance, anger, frustration |
| aww | aw, awww | "How sweet!" | "Aww, what an adorable puppy" | Shows sentimental approval (also see next entry) |
| aww | aw, ohh, ahh | "That's too bad" | "Aww, it hit him right in the nuts!" | Feeling sorry or pity for someone |
| aw | oh | "Come on!" | "Aw, don't be like that!" | Mild disappointment or protest |
| bah | "Whatever" | "Bah, I never liked him anyways." | Dismissive, annoyed | |
| boo | booh | "That's bad" | "Boo, get off the stage!" | Disapproval, contempt |
| boo! | booh! | "Scared you!" | I jumped out from the closet and yelled "boo!" | A noise used to scare people by surprise |
| boo-hoo | boohoo | "I'm crying!" | Your internet is slow? Boo-hoo, how sad for you. | Used, often sarcastically, to imitate crying. |
| brr | brrrr | "It's cold" | "Brrr, it's -20C outside" | Being cold, shivering |
| d'oh | doh | "That was stupid/bad!" | "I just deleted all my files. D'oh!" | Homer Simpson's catchphrase when something bad happens. |
| duh | "That's dumb" | "Duh, you didn't plug it in." | Expresses annoyance over something stupid or obvious | |
| eek | eeeek | "Help!" | "Eeek, a mouse!" | Girly scream. Surprised, scared. |
| eep | "Oh no!" | "Eep! I didn't mean to say that!" | Surprise (female) | |
| eh? | huh? | "What?" | "Eh? I didn't hear what you said." | Misunderstanding. Also see "eh?" below |
| eh? | huh?, eyh? | "Is that right?" | "So she dumped you, eh?" | Stereotypically overused by Canadians |
| eww | ugh, ewww, yuck, ick | "Disgusting" | "Ewww, this apple is rotten" | Disgust, dislike |
| fuff | "Bullshit" | "Oh fuff, you don't know what you're talking about!" | Contempt and disregard | |
| gah | "This is hopeless" | "Gah, I give up" | Exasperation and despair | |
| gee | "Really?" | "Gee, that's super!" | Surprise, enthusiasm, or just general emphasis. | |
| 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. |
| humph | harumph | "I don't like this" | "There are kids on my lawn again, humph!" | A snort, to express dislike, disbelief or annoyance. |
| hah | heh | "Funny." | "Heh, that's clever" | The first syllable of "hahaha", when something is just a little funny. "Hah" can also be used spitefully in one-upmanship, as in "Hah, got you again you loser" |
| haha | hehe, hahaha, bahaha | "Funny!" | "Haha, that's hilarious!" | Regular laughter. |
| huh | "Really?" | "Huh, you were right" | Mild, indifferent surprise | |
| hurrah | hooray, huzzah | "Let's celebrate!" | "Hurrah, we won!" | Generic exclaimation of joy |
| phew | "That was close!" | "I didn't do my homework, but the teacher didn't check. Phew!" | Expressing relief | |
| ick | yuck, ich, yak | "Disgusting" | "Ick, this milk has gone bad" | Disgust, dislike |
| meh | eh | "I don't know" | "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. |
| muahaha | mwahaha, bwahaha | "I'm so evil!" | "I switched the sugar and the salt! Muahaha!" | Evil villain's triumphant laugh |
| mwah | m-wah | "Kiss!" | "Thanks, you're so sweet! Mwah!" | The sound of blowing a kiss |
| nah | "No" | "Want another beer?" "Nah, I'm good" | Informal no | |
| nuh-uh | nuh-hu, nu-huh | "No, it isn't!"/"Did not!" | "I hit you!" "Nuh-uh!" "Yuh-uh!" "Nuh-uh!" | Childish negation or refusal |
| oh | "I see" | "Oh, you wanted sugar, not milk." | Realisation | |
| ooh-la-la | oh-lala, la-di-da, la-dee-dah | "Fancy!" | "A seven layer wedding cake? Ooh-la-la!" | An often ironic (or just funny) way indicating that something is fancy or high class |
| ooh | oooh | "Wonderful!" | "Oooh, it's shiny!" | Wonder, amazement (ohhh can also mean ahhh) |
| 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 your cup over" | Being surprised at or acknowledging your own mistakes | |
| ouch | ow, ouch, yeow | "That hurts" | "Ouch, I hit my thumb" | Expression of pain |
| oww | oww, ouch, yeow | "That hurts" | "Oww, I hit my thumb" | Expression of pain |
| oy | oi, oyh | "Hey, you!" | "Oy! You forgot your wallet!" | Mainly British: Used to get someone's attention, similar to "hey!". Also used disapprovingly ("Oy, you spilled your drink all over me!"). |
| oy | oy vay | "Oh no..." | "The bills are piling up. Oy..." | Mainly Jewish: Used to express self-pity, similar to "woe is me!" |
| pew | pee-yew | "It stinks!" | "Pew, that smells so gross!" | Used for foul odors |
| pff | pffh, pssh, pfft | "That's nothing" | "Pff, I once caught a fish twice that size" | Unimpressed |
| phew | "That was close!" | "I didn't do my homework, but the teacher didn't check. Phew!" | Expressing relief | |
| psst | Whispering "Hey, you!" | "Psst. Let's skip the next class!" | Used to quietly get someone's attention, often to tell them a secret. | |
| 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 |
| shoo | "Go away" | "Get out of here! Shoo!" | Used to drive away animals or small children | |
| tsk-tsk | tut-tut | "Disappointing" | "Tsk-tsk, he is late for work again" | disappointment, contempt (this is a clicking sound. Clip from Futurama) |
| uh-huh | mhm, uh-hu | "Yes" | "Do you think so too?" "Uh-hu" | Agreement, acknowledgement (easily confused with uh-uh) |
| uh-oh | oh-oh | "Oh no!" | "Uh-oh, I think the bear is inside the house" | Concerned for indications that something will happen |
| uh-uh | unh-unh, unh-uh | "No" | "Eat your spinach!" "Uh-uh!" | Refusal, especially if your mouth is full or if you refuse to open it (easily confused with uh-huh) |
| uhh | uhm, err | "Wait, I'm thinking" | "Seven times eight is... uhh... 56" | Indicates a pause in, rather than the end of, a sentence |
| umm | uhh, ummm | "I'm hesitant" | "Umm.. Do you really think that's wise?" | Being hesitant or skeptical (usually interchangable with "uhh" above) |
| waah | waaaaah | "I'm crying!" | "I don't want you to go! Waaah!" | Used, often sarcastically, for imitating crying or whining. |
| wee | whee, weee | "This is fun!" | "Weee! Faster!" | Used by children when doing something fun, and often ironically by adults when something is fun but childish |
| whoa | "Hold on." | "Whoa, take it easy!" | Can be used to suggest caution as in here, and also stereotypically used by marijuana smokers to express dumbfounded amazement ("whoa, look at the colors!"). Originally a sound used to make horses stop. | |
| wow | "Amazing!" | "Wow, that's incredible!" | Impressed, astonished | |
| yahoo | yippee, woohoo | "Let's celebrate!" | "Yippie! We won!" | Generic exclaimation of joy |
| yay | "Yes!" | "Yay! We won!" | All-purpose cheer. Approval, congratulations and triumph | |
| yeah | yeeeeaah! | "Yes!" | "Yeeeaah! Kick his butt!" | Common slang for "yes", sometimes also used as an interjection. |
| yee-haw | yeehaw | "I'm excited!" | "Let's gather some cattle! Yee-haw!" | Much like "yahoo", but almost always associated with cowboys. |
| yikes | "That's a bad surprise." | "I found out I owed $5000 in back taxes. Yikes!" | Fear and alarm. | |
| yoo-hoo | yoohoo | "Hey you!" | "Yoo-hoo, sugercup! Come give me a hug!" | The often ironic/comical, seductive call of a woman to get someone's attention |
| yuh-uh | yuh-hu, yu-huh | "Yes, it is!"/"Did so!" | "I hit you!" "Nuh-uh!" "Yuh-uh!" "Nuh-uh!" ... | Childish affirmation, often used to counter "nuh-uh!" (not to be confused with yoo-hoo). |
| yuck | ick, ich, blech, bleh, eww, ugh, yech | "Disgusting!" | "Yuck, I wouldn't want to touch that" | Disgust, dislike |
| whew | "I'm surprised" | "You said it was expensive, but $10,000?! Whew!" | Astonishment or relief, also used the same as 'phew' | |
| zing | ba-dum-tss, badum 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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