What Are Interjections? Types of Interjections in English

An interjection is a part of speech that shows the emotion or feeling of the author. These words or phrases can stand alone or be placed before or after a sentence. Many times an interjection is followed by a punctuation mark, often an exclamation point.

Contents

List of Interjections in English

Interjections for Doubt

Hmm!

Hmm, I’m not sure about that.

Er!

New Delhi is the capital of… er… India.

Um!

What do you think of this jacket? – Um, I don’t know if I like the colour.

Interjections for Pity

Dear!

Oh dear, I’ve broken the light.

Alas!

Alas, my funds have some limitations.

Interjections for Realization

Aha!

Aha, It was a fox.

Ah!

Ah, what a lovely baby!

Interjections for Disapproval

Tsk -tsk!

So you were out drinking again last night were you? Tsk-tsk!

Tut – tut!

Tut – tut, Jack, you disappointed me, you really do.

Interjections for Irritation

Hmhp!

Don’t blame me. It’s your fault. Hmph!

Huh!

Try to understand. – Huh! What is there to understand?

Hey!

“Hey! Look out!” shouted Patty.

Oy!

Oy, my legs hurt.

Interjections for Panic

Help!

Help! I’m going to fall.

Ah!

Ah! I have hurt my toe.

Uh-oh!

Uh-oh, I think the bear is inside the house.

Interjections for Dismay

Oh, no!

Oh, no! Did I leave my keys in the car?

Oh!

Oh, I am not going to die, am I? He will not separate us, we have been so happy.

Oops!

Oops! I almost spilled the coffee.

Interjections for Disappointment

Aw!

Aw, it’s a shame I can’t make it.

Interjections for Embarrassment

Ahem!

Ahem, can I make a suggestion?

Er!

I don’t think… er… wait… let me call my boss.

Interjections for Pain

Ouch!

Ouch! That really hurts!

Oww!

Oww, I hit my thumb.

Oh!

Oh! I’ve got a toothache.

Interjections for Disgust

Yuck!

Yuck! This peanut butter is disgusting!

Ugh!

That guy is so stupid. Ugh, I can’t stand his idiocy.

Ew!

Ew, this apple is rotten.

Interjections for Surprise

Oh!

Oh! What a nice view.

Eek!

Eek! It moved!

Yikes!

Yikes, my mother’s home!

Ooh!

Ooh, what a lovely dress!

Wow!

Wow!Never knew that.

Eh!

So that was all she said, eh?

Well!

Well, so she got the job?

Really!

Really? Are you sure?

Interjections for Elation

Hurrah!

We’ve done it! Hurrah!

Yippee!

Yippee! We won, lets head to the bar.

Ha!

Ha! So I am right after all!

Woo – hoo!

Woo hoo! I ran 20 miles and I’m feeling great.

Whoopee!

Whoopee, it’s the holidays!

Interjections for Pleasure

Hooray!

Hooray! Our team won.

Mmm!

Mmm, this ice cream is delicious.

Yeah!

Yeah, I’d love some orange juice.

Interjections for Relief

Phew!

I didn’t do my homework, but the teacher didn’t check. Phew!

Whew!

Whew! I can’t believe we actually finished it all.

Whoa!

Whoa, take it easy!

Interjections for Boredom

Blah!

Blah! Why can’t I get this computer to work!

Ho – hum!

Look at all this paperwork. Ho-hum!

Interjections and their Meaning

Ah!, bravo!, ahh!, hmph!, okay!, aha!, oh wow!, gosh, !, alas!: Acceptance, agreement, displeasure, relief, trust.
Aah!, aww!, ouch!, uh oh!, gee!z, ooh, ouf!, oof!, son of a bitch!: Fear, pain, grief, dismay, pleading, annoyance, anger.
Oop!s: Apology
Shh!, shiiip!: Silence
Whew!, wow!, ugh!, aw!: Amazement, surprise, confidence
Yay!, yaay!, mmmm!, eh hm!, yeah!, yo!: Congratulatory, agreement
Een!, eh!: Insistence
Yippee!, hurray!: Celebration, victory, exitement
Uh!, um!: Pause, skeptical, agreement
Hm!, e!r, em!, emm!, um!: Confusion, thinking, doubt, disagreement
Ah!, mmmhe!, well!: Pleasure, realization, resignation, surprise
Eh!, uh huh!: Repetition, enquiry, surprise, inviting, agreement
Oh dear!, dear me!: Grief, pity

Hello!, hullo!, hi!, hey!: Greeting, surprise, calling attention, joy
Damn!, daggone!, fuck!, hell no!, shit!, bullshi!t: Unsatisfaction, anger, disgruntleness
Bah!, boo!, humph!, hunch!, thah!, dear me!, ah!: Contempt, sorrow
Goodness!, gracious!, hurrah!, hurray!, hubbahubba!, wahoo!, ach!, goody!, yippee!, boy!, crazy wow!, whiz!: Approval, enthusiasm, joy, delight, pleasure
Aargh!, bah!, pah!, phew!,pish!, ish!, shot!, ugh!, eeeek!, oh no!: Disgust, fear
Lord!, merde!, hell no!, lordy!, shit!: Irritation
Whaw!, whoof!, hmph!: Relief
Ah!, alack!, boy!, dear me!, the devil!, goodness!, gosh!, gracious!, ha, heigh!, hey!, ho!, hello!, hoo-ha!, huh!, humph!, indeed!, mercy!, oho!, well!: General surprise format
Ooh!, ouch!, aah!, eh!, hmph!, ah ha!, oops!, aih!: Pain, disagreement, displeasure, disgust
Mm!, wow!, whew!, yes!, sure!, sure!, bingo!, aww!: Acceptance, agreement, victory

Interjections in Speech and Writing

Interjections are widely used in everyday speech to express emotions, reactions, or emphasis. They often emerge spontaneously in response to a specific situation or event, playing a significant role in conveying a speaker’s feelings or thoughts. Examples of common interjections include “wow,” “uh-oh,” “ouch,” and “hey.”

In spoken language, interjections add color and emotion to conversations, making them more dynamic and engaging. They also serve as a tool for speakers to indicate their current emotional state or to generate a response from listeners. For example, someone might exclaim “Yikes!” when startled, signaling to others that they are alarmed or surprised.

However, when it comes to writing, particularly in formal and academic contexts, interjections are generally discouraged. Their colloquial and emotional nature may detract from the clarity and professionalism of a written piece. In such cases, it is often better to find alternative ways of expressing emotion, such as through precise word choice and sentence structure.

That being said, interjections can still be found in various forms of informal writing, such as:

Personal messages and emails
Social media posts and comments
Creative writing, including fiction and poetry
Dialogues in plays and scripts

In these informal contexts, interjections serve a similar purpose as in speech, adding authenticity and emotion to the text. The choice of interjections and their intensity should be adjusted based on a writer’s target audience and the desired tone of the piece.

When using interjections in written or spoken language, it is essential to consider the context of the utterance. Some interjections may be appropriate in one situation but could be considered offensive or inappropriate in another. For instance, “damn” might be acceptable among friends, but frowned upon in a professional setting.

In summary, interjections play a prominent role in informal speech and writing, providing a means of expressing emotion and soliciting reactions from others. Although their prevalence and appropriateness vary based on context, they remain an integral part of human communication.