Signification
Stating astonishment at something.
Contexte culturel
In Kolkata, 'Obak holam' is often preceded by 'Ami to...' (I, for one...). It adds a bit of personal emphasis to the surprise. In Dhaka, you might hear 'Obak hoye gelam' (I became surprised - with a sense of completion). It's very common in urban slang. In villages, people might use 'Hobak' instead of 'Obak'. The 'h' sound is a common dialectal shift. Poets like Rabindranath Tagore used 'Obak' to describe the wonder of nature. It's a 'pure' word that carries a lot of poetic weight.
Add 'খুব' for emphasis
Say 'Ami khub obak holam' to mean 'I was VERY surprised.' It makes you sound more expressive.
Don't use with 'achi'
Avoid 'Ami obak achi.' It's a common mistake. Always use 'holam' for the past or 'hoyechi' for the present perfect.
Signification
Stating astonishment at something.
Add 'খুব' for emphasis
Say 'Ami khub obak holam' to mean 'I was VERY surprised.' It makes you sound more expressive.
Don't use with 'achi'
Avoid 'Ami obak achi.' It's a common mistake. Always use 'holam' for the past or 'hoyechi' for the present perfect.
Use with 'dekhe' or 'shune'
Always try to say WHAT made you surprised. 'Dekhe' (seeing) and 'Shune' (hearing) are your best friends here.
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb 'howa' to say 'I was surprised.'
খবরটা শুনে আমি খুব অবাক ______।
For the first person 'Ami' (I), the past tense of 'howa' is 'halam'.
Which sentence correctly expresses 'I was surprised to see the gift'?
Select the correct sentence:
'Dekhe' (seeing) is the correct connector, and 'holam' is the correct verb.
Complete the dialogue with a natural reaction.
A: জানো, আমি লটারি জিতেছি! B: _________! এটা কীভাবে সম্ভব?
Winning a lottery is a surprising event, making 'obak holam' the most appropriate reaction.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You find out your quiet friend is actually a famous YouTuber.
Discovering a secret talent or fame is a classic 'obak' moment.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesখবরটা শুনে আমি খুব অবাক ______।
For the first person 'Ami' (I), the past tense of 'howa' is 'halam'.
Select the correct sentence:
'Dekhe' (seeing) is the correct connector, and 'holam' is the correct verb.
A: জানো, আমি লটারি জিতেছি! B: _________! এটা কীভাবে সম্ভব?
Winning a lottery is a surprising event, making 'obak holam' the most appropriate reaction.
Situation: You find out your quiet friend is actually a famous YouTuber.
Discovering a secret talent or fame is a classic 'obak' moment.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt is neutral. You can use it with your boss, your parents, or your friends.
Yes, it works for both good and bad surprises. It just means 'unexpected'.
'Obak' is common and spoken. 'Bishmito' is formal and mostly used in books or formal news.
You say 'Tumi amake obak korle.'
Yes, 'Taski kheye jawa' (টাস্কি খেয়ে যাওয়া) is a very popular slang for being surprised.
Not exactly. It means surprise. For confusion, use 'Ami bivrant' or 'Ami bujhte পারছি na'.
Literally yes, but in modern usage, it just means surprised. You can still talk while being 'obak'!
For 'He' (Shey), it is 'Shey obak holo'.
Yes, if they ask how you reacted to a challenge, you can say 'Ami obak holam kintu...' (I was surprised but...).
There isn't a direct opposite, but you could say 'Ami jantam' (I knew it) or 'Eta shavavik' (This is normal).
Expressions liées
বিস্মিত হওয়া
synonymTo be astonished (formal)
চমকে যাওয়া
similarTo be startled
অবাক করা
builds onTo surprise someone
থ বনে যাওয়া
specialized formTo be dumbfounded
