うわー
uwaa
The English phrase "oh wow" is translated into Japanese as うわー (uwaa).
うわー is an interjection used to express surprise, admiration or being overwhelmed by something.
Which one should you use?
You might also use わお as a playful and energetic way to say "oh wow," or use the versatile word すごい to express surprise, astonishment or admiration.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
うわー is an informal expression and is most commonly used among friends or in casual settings.
How do you pronounce it?
uwaa
Did you know?
- The word すごい originally meant 'terrible' or 'scary', evolving from a word for something frighteningly powerful to something impressively great.
- The katakana version わお (wao) is actually a 'loanword' expression from English, making it feel much more modern and 'Westernized' than the native うわー.
- Japanese has a cultural concept called kuuki wo yomu or 'reading the air', meaning the volume and length of your うわー must match the group's energy to avoid seeming out of place.
Examples in context
- あらまあ、それは驚きましたね。Oh wow, that was surprising, wasn't it?
- すごい！これは本当にすごい。Oh wow! This is really amazing.
- わお、信じられないくらい綺麗だね。Oh wow, it's unbelievably beautiful.
- うわー、すごい！Uwā, sugoi!Oh wow, amazing!
- うわー、きれいだね。Uwā, kirei dane.Oh wow, it's beautiful.
- うわー、びっくりした！Uwā, bikkuri shita!Oh wow, you startled me!
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are looking at a beautiful sunset.
- 陽太 Yota結衣、見て！Yui, mite!Yui, look!
- 結衣 Yuiうわー、きれい！Uwā, kirei!Oh wow, it's beautiful!
- 陽太 Yota本当にすごい景色だね。Hontō ni sugoi keshiki dane.It really is an amazing view.
- 結衣 Yui陽太くん、ありがとう。Yota-kun, arigatō.Thank you, Yota.
