Inklingo

bah

bah/ba/

bah means bah in Spanish (expressing dismissal).

bah, whatever

Also: oh please, pfft
InterjectionA1informal
General
A grumpy character waving their hand dismissively at a small, wilted flower.

📝 In Action

¡Bah! No te preocupes por eso, no es importante.

A1

Bah! Don't worry about that; it's not important.

¿Dijo que ganaría? ¡Bah! Siempre dice lo mismo.

A2

He said he would win? Oh please! He always says the same thing.

¡Bah!, da igual si llegamos cinco minutos tarde.

B1

Whatever, it doesn't matter if we are five minutes late.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ¡qué va! (no way / nonsense)
  • psh (pfft)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • ¡Bah, no es nada!Psh, it's nothing!
  • ¡Bah, déjalo!Whatever, leave it!

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "bah" in Spanish:

bahoh pleasepfftwhatever

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: bah

Question 1 of 3

If your friend says '¡Bah!' after you tell them you're worried about a tiny scratch on your car, what are they likely saying?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
buh(boo (another expressive sound))Interjection
ca(no way (similar short dismissal))Interjection
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

This is an onomatopoeic word, which is a fancy way of saying it was created to imitate a sound—specifically the sound of someone exhaling or blowing air in a dismissive way.

First recorded: 18th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: bahFrench: bahItalian: bah

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'bah' rude?

It can be! It literally means you are dismissing what someone else said. Use it with friends when joking around or dismissing a minor problem, but avoid it if someone is sharing something serious.

How do I pronounce it?

Exactly like the English 'bah.' It rhymes with the Spanish words 'va' or 'da.' Just a short 'b' sound followed by an open 'ah' sound.

Can I use it to say 'no'?

Not exactly. It's not a direct replacement for 'no,' but it is a way to say 'I don't agree' or 'I don't think that's true' in a very informal way.