Exclamations are generally used to express a sudden reaction: to
something frightening, incredible, spectacular, shocking or wonderful. Best
not attempted by the visitor, they are better heard from the mouth of the
native speaker than read off the page:
aaberdi (Algerian) a cry used when learning fearful news
aawwaah (Dardja, Algeria) a shout of doubt or hesitation
aãx (Karuk, North America) how disgusting!
aduh (Malay) ouch or wow!
aduhai (Indonesian) an expression of admiration
alaih (Ulwa, Nicaragua) gosh! goodness! help!
alalau (Quechuan, Peru) brrr! (of cold)
amit-amit (Indonesian) forgive me!
ammazza (Italian) it’s a killer! wow!
asshe (Hausa, Nigeria) a cry of grief at distressing news
bambule (Italian) cheers! (preceding the lighting of a joint)
cq (Albanian) a negative exclamation of mild disappointment
hoppla (German) whoops!
naa (Japanese) that’s great!
nabocklish (Irish Gaelic) don’t meddle with it!
oho (Hausa, Nigeria) I don’t care
oop (Ancient Greek) a cry to make rowers stop pulling
sa (Afrikaans) catch him!
savul (Turkish) get out of the way!
schwupp (German) quick as a flash
shahbash (Anglo-Indian) well done! (or well bowled!, as said in cricket
by a wicket-keeper to the bowler)
tao (Chinese) that’s the way it goes
taetae tiria (Cook Islands Maori) throw it away, it’s dirty!
uf (Danish) ugh! yuk!
usch då (Swedish) oh, you poor thing!
y-eazziik (Dardja, Algeria) an expression used exclusively by women
to criticize another person’s action
zut (French) dash it!