Words to Your Mother: Uff da

Uff da (pronounced and occasionally spelled "oofda") is a fairly versatile Norwegian word that means "oops", "drat", or "ouch".  It can also be used in a sympathetic manner (like saying "wow" or "man" at the beginning of a sentence in English).  The term is fairly common in the Minnesota-Wisconsin area of the U.S., where culture has been influenced by Scandinavian immigrants over the years.  In that area of the country, the phrase might also be used as a general expression of suprise.

technorati tags:words, vocabulary, uff da, Norwegian, Scandinavian

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