Learn Romanian › zău
zău
honestly / truly (I swear) /ˈzəw/
particle#2339 most common
Also: really, I swear, for real
Example sentences
Zău, nu știu unde e cheia!
Honestly, I don't know where the key is!
Zău că nu am fost eu.
Honestly, it wasn't me.
Las-o baltă, zău, nu mai insista atâta.
Drop it, really, stop insisting so much.
Zău, mi-e greu să cred povestea asta.
Honestly, I find it hard to believe this story.
Zău așa, chiar credeai că n-o să observ nimic?
Come on, really, did you actually think I wouldn't notice anything?
Zău, dacă mai continui în ritmul ăsta, îmi ies din răbdări cu totul.
Honestly, if you keep going at this rate, I'm going to lose my patience completely.
Word family
zău cătruly, it's the case that...
zău așacome on, seriously
ei, zău!oh, really!
nu zăuno, really / no joke
Etymology
Romanian dictionaries list the origin of "zău" as unknown. It has been in popular use for centuries as an oath-like interjection, inserted into speech to back up a claim or to voice surprise and mild exasperation. No confirmed source language or root has been established, so any claim of a specific origin should be treated with caution.
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