German word

ach

Pronunciation

IPA/ax/

Meaning

  • interjectionoh

Example

Ach, jetzt verstehe ich.

Oh, now I understand.

Illustration for ach (oh)

More examples

Ach, das ist ja interessant.

Oh, that's interesting.

Core concept

A brief burst of feeling that escapes at sudden surprise, understanding, or regret.

Common phrases

  • Ach so

    Oh, I see

  • Ach ja

    Oh, right

Similar words

ach so: A short acknowledgment of understanding or agreement after an explanation.
oh: A short, emphatic expression of surprise or discovery.
oje: A short expression of concern about something unfortunate.
hm: A short sound indicating thought or skepticism.

Definition in German

Kurz Überraschung, Einsicht oder Bedauern ausdrücken kann und häufig mit Partikeln wie "ach so" kombiniert wird

Word origin

German ach continues an old Germanic interjection, attested in Old High German as ah and in Middle High German as ach.

Usage tips

  • In ach so, so makes the realization explicit, while ach alone depends strongly on intonation and context.

Other meanings

  • ahinterjection

Word lists with this word