Auē
The Hawaiian phrase for "oh my God" is Auē.
Auē is used to express a wide range of intense emotions, such as shock, grief or physical pain. While the English "oh my God" is often used for lighthearted excitement, Auē can carry a much heavier weight of genuine sorrow or distress depending on the tone.
Meaning: excitement or shock (intj)
Which one should you use?
Auē is an exclamation of shock or grief. For a more formal way to say "Oh God!", use Ke Akua e! For a common informal expression meaning "Wow!" or "My goodness!", use Auē nō!
Did you know?
- The exclamation Auē is an ideophone, meaning it was originally created to mimic the actual sound of a human cry or a gasp of breath.
- The phrase Ke Akua e! uses the word Akua, which was adapted to mean 'God' in a monotheistic sense after the arrival of Christian missionaries.
- The expression Auē is used across the Polynesian triangle and is almost identical in function to the same word in the Māori language of New Zealand.
Examples in context
- Auē, he nui kēia!Oh my god, this is huge!
- Auē, ua poina au.Oh my god, I forgot.
- Auē, ua lilo ke kūʻai!Oh my god, it's sold out!
Example conversation
Kiana and Keanu see a huge wave at the beach.
- KianaAuē, nānā i kēlā nalu!Oh my god, look at that wave!
- KeanuHe nalu nui loa kēlā, Kiana.That is a very big wave, Kiana.
- KianaE hele kākou i luna!Let's go up!
- KeanuʻAe, e holo!Yes, let's run!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries auē, CC BY-SA 4.0.
