igitt
/iˈɡɪt/
German 'ew' can be expressed as igitt or pfui.
Meaning: expression of disgust or nausea (intj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| igitt | /iˈɡɪt/ |
| pfui | /pfʊɪ̯/ /fʊɪ̯/ |
Both terms are used to express disgust or nausea. igitt is a visceral reaction to something physically repulsive, such as bad food or insects. In contrast, pfui is often used to express moral disgust, to condemn someone's behavior or to say 'shame on you'.
Which one should you use?
Use igitt for physical grossness, like a bug or something nasty in your food. Use pfui when you want to express disapproval of someone's actions, character or a sense of shame.
How do you pronounce it?
/iˈɡɪt/
Did you know?
- While pfui can mean 'ew', it is also frequently used as a command to tell a dog that it has done something wrong.
- Some linguists believe igitt may have originated as a 'minced oath', a way to avoid saying 'o Gott' or 'oh God' directly.
- In German, the word pfui is often doubled to pfui, pfui to intensify the sense of moral shame or condemnation.
Examples in context
- Igitt! Du bist draufgetreten!Ew! You stepped on it.This sentence shows how to use igitt to react to stepping on something.Tatoeba #12882969 by Waldelfe, translation #10795596 by ddnktr
- Pfui Deubel, was ist das denn für ein Gestank? Ich hoffe, daß das kein Stinktier ist.Ew! What's this stench? I hope it's not a skunk.This sentence demonstrates the use of pfui to react to a bad smell.Tatoeba #13397363 by Waldelfe, translation #11216799 by Amastan
- In meinem Salat ist ein Wurm! Igitt!There is a worm in my salad! Ew!This sentence provides an example of using igitt regarding food.
- Igitt! Das sieht eklig aus!Yuck! That looks disgusting!
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are looking at a piece of spoiled fruit.
- LukasIgitt, die Erdbeere ist ganz schimmelig!Ew, the strawberry is all moldy!
- HannahOh ja, das sieht wirklich ekelhaft aus.Oh yes, that looks really disgusting.
- LukasWir sollten den ganzen Korb wegwerfen.We should throw away the whole basket.
- HannahDu hast recht, Lukas.You are right, Lukas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ew” translations and entries igitt, pfui, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries igitt, pfui, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
