Ways to say it
| Hungarian | IPA |
|---|---|
| te jó ég | [ˈtɛ ˈjoː ˈeːɡ] (word by word, narrow) |
| (jaj/ó) Istenem/istenem | |
| te jóságos ég | |
| atyaég | |
| jesszusom |
These expressions are used to convey feelings of excitement or shock.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase te jó ég literally translates to "you good sky". The word Istenem is the possessive form of Isten (God) with the first-person singular possessive suffix, meaning "my God".
Which one should you use?
Istenem is a direct address to God, whereas te jó ég is a more idiomatic exclamation that avoids direct religious invocation. The form te jóságos ég is a more colorful or old-fashioned colloquial way to express shock compared to the standard te jó ég. You can also use jaj/ó Istenem, where adding jaj or ó before Istenem functions like adding "oh" to "my God" to emphasize the emotional weight.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Te jó ég is an informal way to express surprise. Jesszusom is an informal exclamation often used to express surprise or frustration, similar to "Oh my Jesus" in English. Te jóságos ég is a colloquial version of the phrase. For colloquial expressions of excitement or disbelief, you might use Azta! or Az istenit!
Did you know?
- While te jó ég means 'you good sky', the word ég can also mean 'fire' or 'to burn' in Hungarian.
Examples in context
- Te jó ég! Ezt nem akarom elhinni.Oh my God, I can't believe this.This sentence uses te jó ég.Tatoeba #4441228 by maaster, translation #65315 by TomSFox
- Te jóságos ég! Mindenki engem néz.Oh my God, everybody is looking at me!This sentence uses te jóságos ég.Tatoeba #4441244 by maaster, translation #3089300 by Hybrid
- Istenem, milyen gyönyörű naplemente!Oh My God, what a beautiful sunset!
- Ó, Istenem, de cuki kiskutya!Oh My God, what a cute puppy!
- Te jó ég! Nem hiszem el!Oh My God! I can't believe it!
- Azta! Milyen kedves vagy!Oh My God! You're so kind!
- Úr Istenem, ezt nem hiszem el!Oh My God, I can't believe this!
- Te jó ég, ez hatalmas!Oh my god, this is huge!
Example conversation
Tamás and Zsófia are looking at a broken vase.
- TamásTe jó ég,irom sziláncra törté a vázát!Oh my god, you broke the vase into pieces!
- ZsófiaSajnálom, Tamás, véletlenül törtem össze.I'm sorry, Tamás, I broke it by accident.
- TamásEz volt a kedvenc darabom.This was my favorite piece.
- ZsófiaMegpróbálom megjavítani a ragasztóval.I will try to fix it with glue.
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 (te, jó, ég) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jó, te, ég, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
