אוי לא
oy lo
The Hebrew phrase for "oh no" is אוי לא (oy lo).
אוי לא is an exclamation used to express alarm.
Meaning: exclamation of alarm (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the exclamation אוי (oy) and the negation לא (no).
How do you pronounce it?
oy lo
Did you know?
- While אוי לא expresses alarm, Israelis often use the Yiddish-derived word אוי (oy) by itself to express a much wider range of feelings, from exhaustion to deep sympathy.
- While אוי לא expresses alarm, adding a second אוי as אוי אוי can shift the meaning toward a sense of pity or sorrow for someone else.
- Depending on the intonation, אוי can be used as a flirtatious or playful exclamation of surprise rather than a sign of alarm.
Examples in context
- אוי לא! שוב אחרתי! אזכה לתואר 'מלך המאחרים'.Oh no! I'm late again!! I'm going to get the nickname 'King of Late arrival'.This sentence shows how to use אוי לא when expressing frustration about being late.Tatoeba #6020335 by fekundulo, translation #328273 by fcbond
- אוי לא!Oh no!This sentence provides a simple example of the exclamation אוי לא.Tatoeba #5357838 by fekundulo, translation #1299275 by CK
- אוי לא, באמת?Oh no, really?This sentence demonstrates using אוי לא to express disbelief or surprise.Tatoeba #5449713 by fekundulo, translation #33007 by AlanF_US
- הניירות שבתיק התקלקלו, אוי ווי!The papers in my bag got ruined, oh no!
Example conversation
Ido and Rotem are at home and notice a broken vase.
- עידו Idoאוי לא! השברון של האגרטל!Oy lo! Hashivron shel ha-agartal!Oh no! The vase is broken!
- רוטם Rotemאיך זה קרה, עידו?Eikh ze kara, Ido?How did this happen, Ido?
- עידו Idoהחתול הפיל אותו בטעות.Ha-chatul hafil oto bita'ut.The cat knocked it over by mistake.
- רוטם Rotemאל תדאג, ננקה את זה.Al tid'ag, nenake et ze.Don't worry, we will clean it up.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “oh no” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
