ey
hey
An informal exclamation used to address someone or get their attention. It can sound very direct or rude.
EXAMPLE
Ey, hör mal kurz zu!
Hey, listen for a moment!
ey
hey
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Meanings
ey
hey
An informal exclamation expressing annoyance, indignation, or protest.
EXAMPLE
Ey, drängel dich nicht einfach vor!
Hey, don't just cut in line!
ey
man
An informal exclamation expressing surprise or amazement and intensifying a statement.
EXAMPLE
Das ist ja unglaublich, ey!
That's unbelievable, man!
Usage tips
Informal language
'Ey' (hey) clearly belongs to spoken, very informal everyday language. Depending on the tone, it can sound familiar, very direct, or rude, so it is not suitable for formal texts.
EXAMPLE
Ey, wir müssen los!
Hey, we have to go!
Word order
'Ey' (hey) often appears at the beginning of a sentence and is then separated by a comma. At the end of a sentence, it also often follows a comma and intensifies the preceding statement.
EXAMPLE
Ey, was machst du da?
Hey, what are you doing?
Das war wirklich knapp, ey.
That was really close, man.
Direct address
When directly addressing someone, 'ey' (hey) often comes before a request or an imperative. The person being addressed is usually not mentioned explicitly.
EXAMPLE
Ey, komm sofort her!
Hey, come here right now!
Protesting tone
When expressing annoyance or protest, 'ey' (hey) is often used together with a brief rejection or command. An exclamation mark and a sharp tone intensify its effect.
EXAMPLE
Ey, lass das sofort sein!
Hey, stop that right now!
Intensification at the end
When expressing surprise or amazement, 'ey' (hey) often appears at the end of the sentence. There, it comments on and intensifies the entire preceding statement.
EXAMPLE
Das ist ja riesig, ey!
That's huge, man!
In real life
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