oh buon Dio!
/ˈo ˈbwɔn ˈdi.o/word by word
The English phrase 'oh dear' can be translated into Italian as oh buon Dio! or ohimè.
Meaning: expression of dismay, concern, worry or disapproval (intj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| oh buon Dio! | /ˈo ˈbwɔn ˈdi.o/ (word by word) |
| ohimè | /ojˈmɛ/ |
Italian speakers use these expressions to convey dismay, concern, worry or disapproval. ohimè is often used to express sadness, regret or a sense of 'too bad' regarding a situation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase oh buon Dio! literally translates to 'oh good God!'
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈo ˈbwɔn ˈdi.o/
Did you know?
- In many Italian regions, a speaker might use a single heavy sigh to convey the same feeling as ohimè without saying a word.
- The word Dio shares the same ancient Indo-European root as the English word 'deity', both tracing back to a word for the 'bright sky'.
- Using ohimè can sometimes sound slightly old-fashioned or literary, whereas a modern speaker might use more colloquial interjections to show dismay.
Examples in context
- Oh Dio! Hai visto quella macchina?Oh God! Did you see that car?
- Oh mio Dio! Stai bene?Oh my God! Are you okay?
- Accidenti! Ho dimenticato le chiavi a casa.Oops! I left my keys at home.
- Cavolo! Abbiamo perso l'autobus.Damn! We missed the bus.
- Mannaggia! Non ho vinto il biglietto della lotteria.Oh dear! I didn't win the lottery ticket.
- Oh buon Dio! Ho dimenticato le chiavi.Oh dear! I forgot the keys.
- Oh buon Dio! Che brutta notizia.Oh dear! What bad news.
- Oh buon Dio! Il vaso è rotto.Oh dear! The vase is broken.
Example conversation
Sofia discovers that Francesco has spilled coffee on the rug.
- FrancescoOh buon Dio! Ho versato il caffè sul tappeto.Oh dear! I spilled coffee on the rug.
- SofiaNon preoccuparti, Francesco, lo puliremo subito.Don't worry, Francesco, we will clean it up immediately.
- FrancescoSpero che la macchia scompaia.I hope the stain disappears.
- SofiaVediamo, ma non essere così preoccupato.Let's see, but don't be so worried.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “oh dear” translations and entries ohimè, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (oh, buon, Dio) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dio, dio, oh, ohimè, CC BY-SA 4.0.
