Uau

Uau is a common interjection in Portuguese used to express astonishment, admiration, or excitement. It corresponds to the English word “wow” and appears across spoken language, writing, and online media within Portuguese-speaking communities.

Pronunciation and form are straightforward, with the word typically written as uau and spoken with a short, upbeat intonation. The exclamation is often punctuated with an exclamation mark, as in uau!, and can be intensified in informal writing by repetition or accompanying emojis or emphasis words.

Etymology and usage notes: uau is widely regarded as an onomatopoeic representation of a reaction rather than a borrowed term. It gained prominence with the rise of digital communication, memes, and informal texting, where brief expressions of surprise are common. In everyday conversation, it can introduce praise or astonishment about a person, object, event, or achievement, as in phrases like “Uau, que incrível!” or “Uau, isso foi rápido.”

Cultural presence: In Brazil, Portugal, and other Lusophone communities, uau appears in social media captions, comments, headlines, and advertising to convey immediacy and positive reaction. Brands sometimes use it to evoke excitement around products or campaigns, while informal dialogue among friends uses it freely to react to surprising news or trends.

Other uses: In some contexts, Uau may appear as a proper noun or acronym in names of organizations, venues, or events, though there is no single internationally dominant meaning beyond the interjection.

See also: Wow, Portuguese interjections, Portuguese language.