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English - Hungarian

oh

gb/ˈoʊ/ us/ˈoʊ/
A1 English
ó, ja, jaj, ne már, nahát, au, hé, o, nulla, null
A1
1
ó A1
ja A2
Usage pattern:
Oh, [clause]. / Oh!
Oh, I didn’t realize you were already here.
Ó, nem is tudtam, hogy már itt vagy.
Oh! That’s what this button does.
Ja! Szóval ezt csinálja ez a gomb.
Oh, now I understand what you mean.
Learner examples
Oh, I see.
Ja, értem.
Oh! You are my teacher.
Ó! Ön a tanárom.
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse “oh” (surprise/realizing) with “ow” (pain).
Meaning
surprise or sudden realization
Collocations
oh, I see |oh, right |oh, really? |oh, wow |oh, okay |oh, that’s why |oh, of course |oh, sure |oh, interesting |oh, now I get it
Synonyms
ah (Often signals realization or understanding, sometimes calmer than “oh”.) | wow (Stronger surprise or amazement than “oh”.)
Themes
conversation |emotions
Definition

We say “oh” when we are surprised or when we suddenly understand.

Used to express surprise or a sudden understanding of something.

A2
2
ó A1
Usage pattern:
Oh, [thanks/sorry/statement].
Oh, thanks for letting me know.
Ó, köszönöm, hogy szóltál.
Oh, I’m sorry—did I interrupt you?
Ó, bocsánat — félbeszakítottalak?
Oh, in that case, we can meet tomorrow.
Learner examples
Oh, thank you.
Ó, köszönöm.
Oh, okay.
Ó, oké.
Common mistake:
In formal writing, “oh” is usually avoided unless you are writing dialogue.
Meaning
polite response starter or softener
Collocations
oh, thanks |oh, sorry |oh, that’s fine |oh, that’s okay |oh, by the way |oh, in that case |oh, I didn’t know |oh, I forgot |oh, good |oh, sure
Synonyms
well (Also starts a reply, often with a thoughtful or hesitant tone.)
Themes
conversation |politeness
Definition

We often start a reply with “oh” to sound natural and polite.

Used at the start of a reply to introduce what you are about to say, often to sound polite, less direct, or responsive.

A2
3
jaj A1
Usage pattern:
Oh, [bad news]. / Oh no.
Oh, that’s too bad—are you okay?
Jaj, de kár — jól vagy?
Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.
Jaj, ezt sajnálom.
Oh no, did you miss your train?
Learner examples
Oh, I’m sorry.
Jaj, sajnálom.
Oh no!
Jaj, ne!
Common mistake:
Tone matters: a flat “oh” can sound uninterested, not sympathetic.
Meaning
disappointment or concern
Collocations
oh, no |oh, that’s too bad |oh, poor you |oh, I’m sorry |oh, that’s awful |oh, what a shame |oh dear |oh, that’s disappointing |oh, that’s unfortunate |oh, I hope so
Synonyms
oh no (Often stronger and more immediate concern than plain “oh”.) | aww (Informal, often used for sympathy or something sad/cute.)
Themes
emotions |conversation
Definition

We say “oh” when we feel sorry or worried about something.

Used to express sadness, concern, or sympathy about bad news or an unfortunate situation.

B1 INFORMAL
4
jaj A1
ne már A2
Usage pattern:
Oh, [come on/please]. / Oh, for [reason]!
Oh, come on—be serious.
Jaj, ne már — legyél komoly.
Oh, not again.
Jaj, már megint.
Oh, please. That’s not what happened.
Learner examples
Oh, come on!
Ne már!
Oh, not again.
Jaj, már megint.
Common mistake:
This can sound rude; avoid it in polite situations.
Meaning
annoyance or impatience
Collocations
oh, come on |oh, please |oh, give me a break |oh, for goodness’ sake |oh, not again |oh, whatever |oh, that’s ridiculous |oh, you’re kidding |oh, honestly |oh, stop it
Synonyms
ugh (Stronger, more negative sound of annoyance than “oh”.) | come on (Directly urges someone; “oh” often adds exasperation.)
Themes
emotions |conversation
Definition

We say “oh” to show we are annoyed or impatient.

Used to show annoyance, disbelief, or impatience with someone or something.

A2
5
ó A1
nahát B1
Usage pattern:
Oh, [compliment/positive reaction].
Oh, this place is beautiful.
Ó, de gyönyörű ez a hely.
Oh, that’s wonderful news!
Ó, ez csodálatos hír!
Oh, I love your dress.
Learner examples
Oh, it’s beautiful.
Ó, de szép.
Oh, great!
Ó, nagyszerű!
Common mistake:
With a negative tone, “oh” can mean disappointment instead of delight.
Meaning
admiration or delighted surprise
Collocations
oh, beautiful |oh, that’s amazing |oh, wonderful |oh, how lovely |oh, great |oh, perfect |oh, I love it |oh, fantastic |oh, that’s nice |oh, thank you
Synonyms
wow (Often stronger excitement or amazement than “oh”.) | yay (More playful celebration than “oh”.)
Antonyms
ugh (Expresses dislike or annoyance instead of admiration.)
Themes
emotions |conversation
Definition

We say “oh” when something is very nice or exciting.

Used to express pleasure, admiration, or delighted surprise.

A2
6
jaj A1
au A1
Usage pattern:
Oh!
Oh! I just hit my elbow.
Jaj! Beütöttem a könyökömet.
Oh, that really hurts.
Jaj, ez nagyon fáj.
Oh—careful, it’s hot.
Learner examples
Oh! It hurts.
Jaj! Fáj.
Oh! Too hot.
Jaj! Ez túl forró.
Common mistake:
“Ow!” is more common for pain; “oh!” is also used for surprise.
Meaning
pain or sudden discomfort
Collocations
oh! |oh, that hurt |oh, my back |oh, careful |oh, ow |oh, my knee
Synonyms
ow (More specific and common for pain than “oh”.)
Themes
health |emotions
Definition

We can say “oh!” when something hurts.

Used as a short cry when you feel pain, shock, or sudden physical discomfort.

A2
7
ó B1
hé A2
Usage pattern:
Oh, [name/title]!
Oh, Sarah! Over here!
Hé, Sarah! Erre!
Oh, doctor, thank you for coming so quickly.
Ó, doktor úr, köszönöm, hogy ilyen gyorsan jött.
Oh, Mom, look at this!
Learner examples
Oh, Anna!
Hé, Anna!
Oh, Dad!
Ó, apa!
Common mistake:
In modern everyday English, this can sound dramatic; plain names are often enough.
Meaning
calling or getting attention
Collocations
oh, John |oh, Mom |oh, sir |oh, my friend |oh, sweetheart |oh, please
Synonyms
hey (More common casual attention-getter than “oh”.)
Themes
conversation |relationships
Definition

We can say “oh” before a name to call someone.

Used before a name or form of address to call someone or get their attention, often with strong feeling.

NOUN A1
8
o A1
Usage pattern:
an oh / the oh in [word]
Your last name starts with an oh, right?
A vezetékneved o-val kezdődik, ugye?
There are two ohs in “food.”
A „food” szóban két o van.
Write a capital oh at the beginning.
Learner examples
O is called “oh.”
Az O betűt „o”-nak hívják.
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse the letter name “oh” with the interjection “oh!” in conversation.
Meaning
the letter O
Collocations
capital oh |lowercase oh |an oh |the letter oh |double oh
Themes
language |writing
Definition

“Oh” is the name of the letter O.

The name of the letter O.

NOUN A2
9
nulla A1
null A2
Usage pattern:
[number]-oh / oh [number] / [digit] oh [digit]
My extension is four-oh-seven.
A mellékszámom négy-nulla-hét.
The final score was two-oh.
A végeredmény kettő null lett.
The year is pronounced “twenty-oh-six” by some speakers.
Learner examples
Call me at five-oh-two.
Hívj az öt-nulla-kettőn.
The score is one-oh.
Az állás egy null.
Common mistake:
In careful contexts (math, formal reading), “zero” is clearer than “oh.”
Meaning
zero spoken in numbers
Collocations
oh five |double oh |two-oh |oh-one |room oh-nine |nineteen-oh-five |the score is two-oh |zero or oh
Synonyms
zero (More explicit and formal than “oh” for 0.) | nought (Common in British English; less common in American English.)
Antonyms
one (The next digit up from 0 in counting.)
Themes
numbers |daily_life |communication
Definition

We often say “oh” to mean 0 when reading numbers aloud.

Used to refer to the digit 0, especially when saying phone numbers, years, or scores aloud.

Grammar
Dictionary form
oh
IPA
GB/ˈoʊ/
US/ˈoʊ/
Syllables & stress
oh (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (oh)
Word forms
Noun
  • Base: oh
  • Plural: ohs
Word family
Forms
ohs noun
Related words
ooh interjection
Expressions

oh boy

1
/ˈoʊ bˈɔɪ/
fixed phrase informal

'Oh boy' to show emotion

Used to show you are excited, happy, worried, or surprised.

Examples
  • Oh boy, this is going to be fun!
  • Oh boy, I forgot my keys again.

oh boy

1
/ˈoʊ bˈɔɪ/
fixed phrase informal

excitement or dread

We say “oh boy” when we feel excited or when we expect problems.

Examples
  • Oh boy! We’re going to Disneyland tomorrow.
  • Oh boy, here we go again.
  • Oh boy, this is going to be a long meeting.
Learner examples
  • Oh boy!
  • Oh boy, not again.

oh dear

1
/ˈoʊ dˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase

mild distress or surprise exclamation

'Oh dear' is something you say when you are worried, surprised, or sorry about something small or unexpected.

Examples
  • Oh dear, I forgot to bring my wallet!
  • Oh dear, the cake has burned.

oh dear

1
/ˈoʊ dˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase

concern or mild dismay

We say “oh dear” when something has gone wrong.

Examples
  • Oh dear, I think I left my keys at home.
  • Oh dear—that’s not good.
  • Oh dear, are you hurt?
Learner examples
  • Oh dear!
  • Oh dear, I forgot.

oh for goodness' sake

1
/ˈoʊ fɚ ɡˈʊdnəs sˈeɪk/
fixed phrase informal

strong annoyance or impatience

We say this when we are very annoyed.

Examples
  • Oh, for goodness' sake, just tell me the truth.
  • Oh, for goodness' sake—stop arguing.
  • Oh, for goodness' sake, I’ve explained it twice already.
Learner examples
  • Oh, for goodness' sake!

oh my

1
/ˈoʊ mˈaɪ/
fixed phrase

mild surprise or concern

We say “oh my” when we are mildly surprised or worried.

Examples
  • Oh my! I didn’t expect to see you here.
  • Oh my, that looks painful.
  • Oh my, what a lovely view.
Learner examples
  • Oh my!
  • Oh my, look!

oh my god

1
/ˈoʊ mˈaɪ ɡˈɑd/
fixed phrase informal

showing surprise or shock

An expression people use when they are very surprised, afraid, or excited.

Examples
  • Oh my god, I can’t believe you’re here!
  • Oh my god, that was so scary.

oh my god

1
/ˈoʊ mˈaɪ ɡˈɑd/
fixed phrase informal

strong surprise or shock

We say “oh my God” when something is very surprising or shocking.

Examples
  • Oh my God, I completely forgot our meeting.
  • Oh my God! Are you serious?
  • Oh my God, this is amazing.
Learner examples
  • Oh my God!
  • Oh my God, really?

oh no

1
/ˈoʊ nˈoʊ/
fixed phrase

alarm or dismay

We say “oh no” when something bad happens.

Examples
  • Oh no! I spilled coffee on my shirt.
  • Oh no, we’re going to be late.
  • Oh no—did you lose your phone?
Learner examples
  • Oh no!
  • Oh no, sorry.

oh well

1
/ˈoʊ wˈɛl/
fixed phrase

accepting a bad situation

We say “oh well” to mean “it’s not ideal, but it’s okay.”

Examples
  • Oh well, we can try again tomorrow.
  • It’s raining—oh well.
  • Oh well. There’s nothing we can do now.
Learner examples
  • Oh well, it’s fine.
  • Oh well, maybe next time.

oh yeah

1
/ˈoʊ jˈæ/
fixed phrase informal

Expressing recognition or emphasis

Used when you remember something or want to make a point stronger.

Examples
  • Oh yeah, I forgot to call her.
  • Oh yeah? Well I can do it better!

oh yeah

1
/ˈoʊ jˈæ/
fixed phrase informal

agreement or confident confirmation

We say “oh yeah” to mean “yes” strongly, or to show we remember.

Examples
  • Oh yeah, I can help you with that.
  • Oh yeah? Prove it.
  • Oh yeah—I forgot to call her back.
Learner examples
  • Oh yeah, okay.
  • Oh yeah, I remember.
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