Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| wow | |
| boah | /boːə̯/ /bɔɐ̯/ |
These terms are used as interjections to express amazement. While wow is a common way to express wonder, boah is often used when a person feels more intensely overwhelmed or shocked by a situation, whether that feeling is positive or negative.
Which one should you use?
While both words express amazement, boah is a colloquial alternative that conveys a much stronger sense of being overwhelmed or intensely surprised compared to the more neutral wow.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Wow is generally more neutral, whereas boah is highly informal and colloquial. Other informal ways to express similar feelings include Wahnsinn! (insane!) and the slang term Hammer! (used for excitement or astonishment).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In southern Germany, such as in Bavaria, the exclamation Hui! is typically used to show astonishment or excitement.
Related words
When do people say it?
To express awe or being impressed, you might also hear the informal term Krass! (crazy!), which is especially popular among younger generations.
Did you know?
- The slang term Hammer! is used as a noun meaning 'hammer', yet when used as an exclamation, it functions as an adjective to mean 'amazing'.
- The word krass originally described something coarse or harsh, but it evolved into a general term for anything extreme, whether amazing or terrible.
- While wow is a borrowed English word, the German interjection boah is an onomatopoeic sound that mimics a heavy exhale of breath.
Examples in context
- Boah, Daniel hat ziemlich viel zugenommen, seit ich ihn das letzte Mal gesehen habe.Wow, Daniel has put on a lot of weight since the last time I saw him.This sentence shows how to use boah to react to a physical change in someone.Tatoeba #2676355 by brauchinet, translation #837008 by nthkmf
- Wow, was für eine hervorragende Idee.Wow! What a wonderful idea.This sentence demonstrates a positive use of wow to react to an idea.Tatoeba #8226168 by mramosch, translation #8225502 by josivangoncalves
- Wow! Perfekt.Wow! Perfect.This sentence shows how wow can be used to emphasize perfection.Tatoeba #10960759 by Adelpa, translation #10962625 by Adelpa
- Phänomenal! Diese Tänzerinnen sind unglaublich begabt!Phenomenal! These dancers are incredibly talented!
- Krass! Das müssen wir unbedingt machen!Wow! We absolutely have to do that!
- Hammer! Der Wagen ist echt super!Wow! The car is really great!
- Wahnsinn! Wie hat er das bloß gemacht?Wow! How did he do that?
- Hui! Was für eine Aussicht!Wow! What a view!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Felix are looking at a beautiful mountain view.
- SarahWow, diese Aussicht ist unglaublich!Wow, this view is incredible!
- FelixJa, das ist wirklich beeindruckend.Yes, it is truly impressive.
- SarahIch bin sprachlos.I am speechless.
- FelixDas kann ich verstehen.I can understand that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wow” translations and entries boah, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
