wah
The Indonesian word for "wow" is wah.
The interjection wah is used to express surprise, amazement or even slight shock, much like the English "wow".
Meaning: amazement (intj)
Which one should you use?
While English speakers might be tempted to use the English word "wow" when speaking Indonesian, using wah sounds much more natural in local conversation.
Did you know?
- In very informal youth slang, wah is sometimes replaced or supplemented by gila, which literally means 'crazy' but functions as a high-intensity 'wow'.
- In Indonesian, wah can be used sarcastically to signal that someone is being overly boastful or pretentious, similar to saying 'big deal' in English.
- While wah is a general exclamation, Indonesians often use astaga or ya ampun when the 'wow' is caused by shock or a mistake rather than admiration.
Examples in context
- Wah, udah hari Jumat aja nih.Oh wow, it's already Friday.This sentence shows how to use wah when noticing how quickly time has passed.Tatoeba #11815341 by Pacific, translation #9462877 by shekitten
- Wah!Wow!This example demonstrates using wah as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #11252771 by Pacific, translation #52027 by Zifre
- Wah, keren banget.Wow, that's so cool.This sentence shows how to use wah to express that something is very cool.Tatoeba #12209329 by Pacific, translation #7421728 by Hybrid
- Pertunjukan itu sangat menakjubkan!The show was truly amazing!
- Prestasi Anda dalam pekerjaan ini luar biasa!Your achievement in this job is extraordinary!
- Wah, kamu benar-benar jago memasak!Wow, you're really good at cooking!
- Sepeda motor baru kamu sangat keren!Your new motorcycle is really cool!
- Sungguh mengagumkan! Wah, itu keren banget!Truly impressive! Wow, that's really awesome!
Example conversation
Indah and Rian are looking at a beautiful painting in a gallery.
- IndahWah, gambarnya bagus sekali!Wow, the painting is so beautiful!
- RianIya, warnanya sangat hidup.Yes, the colors are very vivid.
- IndahAku tidak menyangka ini akan seindah ini.I didn't expect it to be this beautiful.
- RianBenar, senimannya sangat berbakat.True, the artist is very talented.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
