How to say “Oh my god” in Korean

  1. 세상에sesange

    Oh my god

"Oh my god" in Korean is usually 세상에 (sesange), which literally means "in the world" and works with anyone. In everyday speech you will also hear short exclamations like 어머 (eomeo), 헐 (heol) and 아이고 (aigo), each with its own feel.

Ways to say it

KoreanLevelWhen to use it
세상에
sesange		AnyThe closest match to "oh my god". Safe with anyone, for good or bad surprises.
어머
eomeo		AnyA quick gasp, like "oh my!" Heard more often from women, but anyone can use it.
헐
heol		CasualYoung, slangy "OMG" or "what?!" for shock or disbelief. Keep it to friends.
아이고
aigo		AnyA sigh of surprise, worry or tiredness, like "oh dear". Very common with older people.
대박
daebak		Casual"OMG, amazing!" for exciting surprises. Casual slang.
맙소사
mapsosa		Any"Good heavens." Sounds dramatic or old-fashioned, more common in books and subtitles.

Examples

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Seeing a messy room

Oh my god, what is this?

Seeing a cute dress in a shop

Oh my god, it's so pretty!

Hearing shocking news from a friend

OMG, no way.
Kkachi the magpie

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Tips

Koreans do not usually translate "oh my god" word for word. They reach for a short sound instead: 세상에 for real astonishment, 어머 for a little gasp, 헐 for "wait, what?", and 아이고 when something is tiring or worrying.

You will sometimes hear the English "oh my god" said as 오 마이 갓 (o mai gat), usually as a joke. It is fine with friends but sounds playful, not sincere.

헐 and 대박 are slang. With teachers, bosses or older strangers, 세상에 or a polite reaction like 정말요? (jeongmallyo, "really?") is safer.

More on 어머, 헐, 아이고 and 대박 in our Korean phrase guides.

Questions learners ask

What does 세상에 mean literally?

세상 means "the world" and 에 means "in", so 세상에 is literally "in the world". It is used like "oh my god" or "good grief".

Is 어머 only for girls?

It is heard more from women, and some men avoid it for that reason, but it is not wrong for anyone to say. Men often say 헐 or 와 (wa) instead.

How do Koreans write OMG in texts?

헐 and 대박 are the most common. People also type ㄷㄷ, a short form of 덜덜, the sound of shaking, for "that's scary" or "wow".

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