Diyos ko
/diˌos ˈko/
In Tagalog, 'oh my gosh' is expressed as Diyos ko.
Diyos ko is used to express surprise, shock or dismay, much like the English phrase 'oh my God'.
Meaning: oh my God (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Diyos, meaning 'God' and the enclitic pronoun ko, meaning 'my' or 'of me'.
Which one should you use?
You can use Ay, sus! for an informal 'Oh my gosh!' or Grabe! to express astonishment, meaning 'seriously' or 'extreme'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle po to the phrase creates the respectful form Diyos ko po.
How do you pronounce it?
/diˌos ˈko/
Did you know?
- The word Diyos is a linguistic relative of the English word 'deity' and the Greek 'Zeus' because they all share the same Proto-Indo-European root for 'sky' or 'shine'.
- While Diyos ko translates to 'my God', Filipinos often use it as a filler word or a sigh of frustration, even in non-religious contexts.
- In very traditional or religious households, some may avoid Diyos ko to prevent 'taking the Lord's name in vain', opting instead for Ay, sus!
Examples in context
- Ay naku, hindi ko akalain na mananalo ako sa paligsahan!Oh my gosh, I never expected to win the competition!
- Ay naku, ang ganda talaga ng lugar na ito!Oh my gosh, this place is really beautiful!
- Ay, sus! Ang dami ng tao sa mall!Oh my gosh! There are so many people at the mall!
- Ay, sus! Nakakatakot 'yang palabas na 'yan!Oh my gosh! That movie is scary!
- Ay, naku! Hindi mo ba naisip 'yon?Oh my gosh! Didn't you think about that?
- Ay, naku! Ang kulit talaga ng bata na 'yan!Oh my gosh! That child is really mischievous!
- Grabe! Ang ganda ng bagong kotse mo!Oh my gosh! Your new car looks amazing!
- Grabe! Kinakabahan ako sa presentation na 'to!Oh my gosh! I'm nervous about this presentation!
- Diyos ko, ang init naman dito!Oh my God, it is so hot in here!
- Diyos ko, nakalimutan ko ang susi.Oh my God, I forgot the keys.
- Diyos ko, ang ganda ng tanawin.Oh my God, the view is beautiful.
Example conversation
Christina and Juan are looking at a broken vase.
- ChristinaDiyos ko, Juan! Nabasag ba ang plorera?Oh my gosh, Juan! Did the vase break?
- JuanOo, aksidente itong natabig ng pusa.Yes, the cat accidentally knocked it over.
- ChristinaSayang naman, paborito ko iyan.What a waste, that was my favorite.
- JuanHuwag kang mag-alala, papalitan ko ito.Don't worry, I will replace it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Diyos ko, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Diyos, Diyos ko, diyos, ko, CC BY-SA 4.0.
