heureka
/ˈhɔɪ̯ʁeka/
The German exclamation for "eureka" is heureka.
heureka is an interjection used to express the excitement of a sudden discovery. German speakers also use various colloquial and informal phrases to express similar sentiments of realization or understanding.
Meaning: exclamation indicating sudden discovery (intj)
Which one should you use?
The German spelling differs from the English version by using an e after the h instead of a u, resulting in heureka.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhɔɪ̯ʁeka/
Did you know?
- The German term for the moment of discovery, 'Geistesblitz', literally translates to 'lightning bolt of the spirit' and is used to describe the flash of insight behind a 'heureka' moment.
- If you use heureka in a modern German conversation, you may sound slightly theatrical or even ironic, as it is often associated with historical or scientific archetypes.
- While heureka is understood, Germans more commonly use the colloquial expression Da hab ich's! to express the exact same feeling of sudden realization.
Examples in context
- Heureka!Eureka!This example shows how to use the exclamation heureka.Tatoeba #819542 by Espi, translation #618101 by U2FS
- Yeah, ich hab's geknackt!Yeah, I cracked it!
- Hammer, ich hab's wiedergefunden!Wow, I found it again!
- Krass, ich hab's rausgefunden! Wir können jetzt viel Zeit sparen!Wow, I figured it out! We can save a lot of time now!
- Heureka, ich habe die Lösung gefunden!Eureka, I have found the solution!
- Heureka, endlich funktioniert der Code.Eureka, finally the code works.
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are solving a difficult puzzle together.
- SarahIch glaube, das Teil passt hier nicht.I think this piece doesn't fit here.
- LukasProbier es mal andersherum, Sarah.Try it the other way, Sarah.
- SarahHeureka! Es passt ja doch!Eureka! It does fit after all!
- LukasSuper gemacht, Lukas ist stolz auf dich.Well done, Lukas is proud of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eureka” translations and entries heureka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
