tja

Meaning

1. well, hmm
2. Used to express acceptance of a negative outcome; oh well, welp
3. Used as an unsympathetic response to a negative outcome for someone else, implying it was predictable or is otherwise simply to be accepted

Concepts

come

hmm

come now

oh well

Synonyms

also

nun

los

nun gut

hm

Translations

χμ

allez

eh bien

hum

va

uhm

hmm

mmh

mmm

hmm

hum

hmm

Pronounced as (IPA)

/tja/

Etymology

Probably from an onomatopoeia for clicking one’s tongue, which is used with the same meaning. Perhaps also a variant of ja (“yes”). Similar expressions are found in nearby Germanic languages and in Finnish, suggesting an areal feature.