हे भगवान
he bhagvāneveryday, Hindi
In Hindi, हे भगवान (he bhagvān) is the usual way to say "oh my God", literally "oh God". Other common exclamations are हे राम (he rām) and अरे बाप रे (are bāp re).
Meaning: exclamation of surprise (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Indian | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| हे भगवान | he bhagvān | everyday, Hindi |
| अरे बाप रे | are bāp re | casual |
| हे राम | he rām | traditional |
हे भगवान (he bhagvān) works for shock, worry or surprise. अरे बाप रे (are bāp re) is playful, literally "oh father", and shows surprise at something big.
Which one should you use?
Young people in cities often say ओह माय गॉड (oh māy god) in English, but the Hindi forms are heard from all ages.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Tamil, Bengali, Telugu and other languages of India use different words.
Did you know?
- The word भगवान (bhagvān) is used in Hindi for God, and the Hindi speakers use it regardless of faith in everyday exclamations.
Examples in context
- हे भगवान, यह क्या हो गया!he bhagvān, yah kyā ho gayā!Oh my God, what happened!
- अरे बाप रे, इतनी भीड़!are bāp re, itnī bhīṛ!Oh my goodness, such a crowd!
- हे राम, मेरा बटुआ गायब है।he rām, merā baṭuā gāyab hai.Oh God, my wallet is missing.
Example conversation
Two friends, Kavya and Isha, see a huge queue at a cinema.
- Kavyaअरे बाप रे, इतनी लंबी कतार!are bāp re, itnī laṃbī qatār!Oh my, such a long queue!
- Ishaहे भगवान, टिकट कैसे मिलेगा?he bhagvān, ṭikaṭ kaise milegā?Oh my God, how will we get tickets?
- Kavyaचलो, कल आते हैं।chalo, kal āte haiṃ.Come on, let us come tomorrow.
