وای خدای من
The English phrase "oh my God" can be translated into Persian as وای خدای من. If unsure, use وای خدای من. Wiktionary also lists ای خدا.
Meaning: excitement or shock (intj)
Ways to say it
| Persian | IPA |
|---|---|
| وای خدای من | |
| ای خدا | /æj xu.ˈdaː/ (word by word) |
وای خدای من is commonly used in modern, informal spoken Persian to express surprise, shock or intense excitement.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase وای خدای من is a literal translation of "oh my God": وای means "oh", خدای is the genitive form of "god" and من means "me/my".
Which one should you use?
While وای خدای من is used for shock or excitement, ای خدا is a more concise exclamation often used to express distress, frustration or a plea to God.
Did you know?
- While وای خدای من is common today, it is a literal translation of the English phrase. Many native speakers traditionally use other idioms to express shock.
- In Persian, the word وای can be used alone to express everything from mild surprise to absolute horror, depending on the length of the vowel.
- The 'oh' in وای خدای من is a distant relative of the English word 'woe'. They both stem from the same ancient root used to express grief or distress.
Examples in context
- وای خدای من، این خیلی زیباست!vāy khodāye man, in kheyli zibāst!Oh my god, this is so beautiful!
- وای خدای من، چه اتفاقی افتاد؟vāy khodāye man, che ettefāghi oftād?Oh my god, what happened?
- وای خدای من، من باورم نمی‌شود!vāy khodāye man, man bāvaram nemishavad!Oh my god, I can't believe it!
Example conversation
Amir shows Zahra a surprise gift.
- امیر Amirزهرا، این کادو برای تو است.Zahra, in kado baraye to ast.Zahra, this gift is for you.
- زهرا Zahraوای خدای من، واقعاً برای من است؟Vay khodaye man, vaghean baraye man ast?Oh my god, is it really for me?
- امیر Amirبله، امیدوارم خوشت بیاید.Bale, omidvaram khoshat biayad.Yes, I hope you like it.
- زهرا Zahraخیلی ممنونم، امیر!Kheyli mamnoonam, Amir!Thank you so much, Amir!
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 (ای, خدا) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ای, خدای, من, وای, CC BY-SA 4.0.
