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How to Say ‘Oh dear.’ in German

Oh je.

oh yay

[oh yay]

🇩🇪 In Germany: [Oh je] sounds natural as a sympathetic response from staff. If you say it yourself about your own problem, it can sound more emotional than practical, so it is less useful for making the complaint.

Phrase Breakdown

Oh

[oh]

oh

An exclamation showing surprise or concern.

Example

Oh, das tut mir leid.

Oh, I am sorry about that.

je

[yay]

dear / oh

Part of a common phrase expressing sympathy or worry.

Example

Oh je, das ist ein Problem.

Oh dear, that is a problem.

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