हे भगवान
he bhagvān/ɦeː bʱəɡ.ʋɑːn/word by word
The Hindi phrase for "oh my god" is हे भगवान (he bhagvān).
हे भगवान is a common interjection used to express surprise, shock, fear or even exasperation.
Meaning: excitement or shock (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of हे, a vocative particle used to address someone and भगवान, meaning "God".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In North India, the colloquial phrase हे राम is used to express surprise or wonderment.
How do you pronounce it?
he bhagvān
Did you know?
- In many parts of India, an exclamation of shock might bypass 'God' entirely and use 'Mother' instead, such as हे माँ, to convey a much higher intensity of fear or sudden fright.
- The word भगवान is etymologically linked to the Sanskrit root for 'fortune' or 'luck', implying that the divine is the possessor of all prosperity.
- Hindi speakers may replace भगवान with अरे यार (oh friend) when the shock is mild or shared between peers, as calling on God is seen as too heavy for small surprises.
Examples in context
- हाय भगवान! यह कैसे हो गया?Oh my God! How did this happen?
- हे राम! तुमने यह कैसे किया?Oh my God! How did you do this?
- हे भगवान, यह कितना सुंदर है!He bhagwan, yeh kitna sundar hai!Oh my god, this is so beautiful!
- हे भगवान, इतनी गर्मी!He bhagwan, itni garmi!Oh my god, it's so hot!
Example conversation
Priya and Amit are reacting to a sudden rainstorm.
- प्रिया Priyaहे भगवान, बाहर कितनी बारिश हो रही है!Hey bhagwan, baahar kitni baarish ho rahi hai!Oh my god, it is raining so much outside!
- अमित Amitहाँ, मेरा छाता भी घर पर रह गया।Haan, mera chhaata bhi ghar par reh gaya.Yes, my umbrella was left at home too.
- प्रिया Priyaअब हम घर कैसे जाएँगे?Ab hum ghar kaise jayenge?How will we go home now?
- अमित Amitहमें यहाँ रुकना होगा।Hamein yahan rukna hoga.We will have to stay here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “oh my god” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (हे, भगवान) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries भगवान, हे, CC BY-SA 4.0.
