あらまあ
aramā[a̠ɾa̠ma̠ː]
The English phrase "oh my goodness" is translated into Japanese as あらまあ (aramā).
あらまあ is used to express mild surprise, shock or dismay. Other informal ways to express surprise or astonishment include うわっ for "Oh no!" or "Wow!", おっ for "Oh!" or "Wow!" and マジで？ to convey disbelief or say "Seriously?" or "No way!" Additionally, すごい！ can be used to mean "amazing" to show enthusiasm or awe.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
あらまあ carries a feminine nuance and is typically used by women. For a different informal way to say "Oh my goodness", you can use ああ、まあ.
How do you pronounce it?
aramā
Did you know?
- If you say あらまあ with a very high pitch, it can shift from expressing 'surprise' to expressing 'disgust' or 'scorn', depending on your facial expression.
- While あらまあ expresses surprise, using it in a professional setting might make you sound like a character from a classic period drama rather than a modern person.
- The component まあ (maa) is often used as a filler word in Japanese to soften a sentence, similar to how an English speaker might say 'well' or 'uh' to buy time.
Examples in context
- あらまあ、すごいですね。Ara maa, sugoi desu ne.Oh my goodness, that is amazing.
- あらまあ、大変！Ara maa, taihen!Oh my goodness, what a disaster!
- あらまあ、可愛い子ですね。Ara maa, kawaii ko desu ne.Oh my goodness, what a cute child.
Example conversation
Yota tells Misaki that he accidentally broke a vase.
- 陽太 Yota美咲さん、花瓶を割ってしまいました。Misaki-san, kaban o watte shimaimashita.Misaki, I accidentally broke the vase.
- 美咲 Misakiあらまあ！大丈夫ですか、陽太さん？Ara maa! Daijoubu desu ka, Yota-san?Oh my goodness! Are you okay, Yota?
- 陽太 Yotaはい、怪我はありません。Hai, kega wa arimasen.Yes, I'm not injured.
- 美咲 Misakiそれは良かったです。Sore wa yokatta desu.I'm glad to hear that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry あらまあ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
