mój Boże
/ˈmuj ˈbɔ.ʐɛ/
The English phrase "oh my god" can be translated into Polish as mój Boże.
mój Boże is used to express excitement, shock, disbelief, pity or exasperation. It functions similarly to how "My God" is used in English.
Meaning: excitement or shock (intj)
Which one should you use?
While mój Boże is a common exclamation, adding the preposition o to make O mój Boże is a more direct translation of the English "Oh my God" and is also frequently used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to express shock or surprise without using a religious reference, O rety is a common, secular alternative, which means "Oh dear" or "Oh boy".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word Boże is in the vocative case, which is used when addressing someone or something directly.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈmuj ˈbɔ.ʐɛ/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- A common, slightly more old-fashioned way to express similar disbelief without being religious is to say O rany, which literally translates to 'Oh, wounds'.
- If you find yourself too shocked to use a religious term, you can use the word matko, which means 'mother', as a substitute in the phrase O matko to express similar disbelief.
- The word mój shares an ancient root with the English word 'my', both descending from the same Proto-Indo-European source.
Examples in context
- Mój boże, jakie piękne!Oh my God, how beautiful!This sentence demonstrates the use of mój Boże to express admiration for beauty.Tatoeba #6672589 by qmak, translation #8160303 by TheNightAvl
- Ach, Boże! Nie mogę w to uwierzyć!Oh my God! I can't believe it!
- O matko! Naprawdę? To jest niesamowite!Oh my God! Really? That's incredible!
- Mój Boże, to niesamowite!Oh my god, that is amazing!
- Mój Boże, co ty zrobiłaś?Oh my god, what did you do?
Example conversation
Krzysztof and Katarzyna are looking at a surprise gift.
- KrzysztofKatarzyno, spójrz na to pudełko!Katarzyna, look at this box!
- KatarzynaO mój Boże, to jest dla mnie?Oh my god, is this for me?
- KrzysztofTak, otwórz je szybko!Yes, open it quickly!
- KatarzynaJestem w wielkim szoku!I am in great shock!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “oh my god” translations and entries mój Boże, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mój, mój Boże, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
