Oh my goodness gracious Meaning in English
expression
OH my GOOD-ness GRAY-shuhs
OH my GOOD-nuhs GRAY-shuhs
Definition
An exclamation used to express surprise, shock, or amazement in a polite and sometimes dramatic way.
Usage & Nuances
Mild, old-fashioned, and very polite—used instead of stronger exclamations like 'oh my God'. Common in the US, and sometimes playful or dramatic. Not commonly used by younger speakers but instantly understood. Use in place of stronger language in any setting.
Spanish: ¡Dios mío! - ¡Por el amor de Dios!Portuguese (BR): Meu Deus do céu! - Nossa!Portuguese (PT): Meu Deus do céu! - Nossa!Chinese (Simplified): 天哪！- 我的天啊！Chinese (Traditional): 天哪！- 我的天啊！Hindi: हे भगवान! - अरे बाप रे!Arabic: يا إلهي! - يا ربي!Bengali: আহা বাপ রে - হায় রে (বিনীত বিস্ময়ের জন্য)Russian: боже мой - господиJapanese: まあ、なんてことでしょう - まあ、どうしましょうVietnamese: ôi trời ơi - trời ơi (lịch sự)Korean: 세상에 - 이런에Turkish: aman Tanrım - vay canınaUrdu: یا اللہ - یا خدا (ادب سے)Indonesian: ya ampun - astaga (sopan)
Example Sentences
Oh my goodness gracious, what happened here?
basic
Oh my goodness gracious, that dog is huge!
basic
Oh my goodness gracious, it's already 8 o'clock!
basic
Oh my goodness gracious, I can't believe you did that!
natural
Oh my goodness gracious, look at all these presents under the tree!
natural
Oh my goodness gracious, we're going to be late if we don't hurry!
natural