# Ok



## Whodunit

I'd like you to confirm for your language if you use "ok(ay)" in both spoken and written language. I wondered if there's any language at all where people wouldn't know what is meant by "okay"? And what word would you use then?

Let me start with German:

"Okay" is understood everywhere and used both by teens and even by older persons. But we also use "in Ordnung" in spoken and written language, but "i.O." in written German only. Anyone other suggestions?

Thanks in advance for all replies.


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## MingRaymond

Okay is common in spoken Mandarin and Cantonese. Of course, Chinese people consider it as a English word. Okay is not very common in written Chinese.


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## germinal

Whodunit said:
			
		

> I'd like you to confirm for your language if you use "ok(ay)" in both spoken and written language. I wondered if there's any language at all where people wouldn't know what is meant by "okay"? And what word would you use then?
> 
> Let me start with German:
> 
> "Okay" is everywhere understand and used both by teens and even by older persons. But we also use "in Ordnung" in spoken and written language, but "i.O." in written German only. Anyone other suggestions?
> 
> Thanks in advance for all replies.


 

_everywhere understand _is not okay - you should say _understood everywhere - _okay?    

Germinal.

.


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## amikama

Whodunit said:
			
		

> I'd like you to confirm for your language if you use "ok(ay)" in both spoken and written language. I wondered if there's any language at all where people wouldn't know what is meant by "okay"? And what word would you use then?


 
Hebrew: אוקיי (pronounced as in English. No abbreviated form.)


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## elroy

It's used in spoken Arabic but never written.


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## Whodunit

elroy said:
			
		

> It's used in spoken Arabic but never written.



How else would you write it then? Is there a better "real" Arabic word?


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## Whodunit

germinal said:
			
		

> _everywhere understand _is not okay - you should say _understood everywhere - _okay?
> 
> Germinal.
> 
> .



Oops, I think I typed faster than I could think. Okay , thanks for your correction. I'm gonna edit it.


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## meili

We also use okay in everyday conversation, even in writing, but as far as I know only in informal writings (?) - like when you are writing a letter to a friend, or to your parents (jeje!).
Okay is like saying 'yes', so in Filipino it would be 'OO', or like saying you are in agreement - 
Yes, I am okay - Oo, pumapayag ako.
Hope I contributed.


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## Irali

meili said:
			
		

> We also use okay in everyday conversation, even in writing, but as far as I know only in informal writings (?) - like when you are writing a letter to a friend, or to your parents (jeje!).
> Okay is like saying 'yes', so in Filipino it would be 'OO', or like saying you are in agreement -
> Yes, I am okay - Oo, pumapayag ako.
> Hope I contributed.


 
In Spain is the same, we use it only in informal writings, I mean with friends, parents. OK is like "all right", in spanish "de acuerdo".

Un saludo.


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## Sev

Whodunit said:
			
		

> "Okay" is understoond


I'm afraid you'll have to re-edit, Who  
In France okay is often used, I think the OK form is more common. Its written usage is recent I guess (with internet and so on).
It's not used by older people, only by young and adults. I guess a french equivalent could be "D'accord" or "Pas de problème" (can't think of a short word) but of course it depends on the context.


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## Irali

Sev said:
			
		

> I'm afraid you'll have to re-edit, Who
> In France okay is often used, I think the OK form is more common. Its written usage is recent I guess (with internet and so on).
> It's not used by older people, only by young and adults. I guess a french equivalent could be "D'accord" or "Pas de problème" (can't think of a short word) but of course it depends on the context.


 
In Spain this word is not used by older people either. And a short word for Ok is VALE.

Un saludo.


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## Whodunit

Sev said:
			
		

> I'm afraid you'll have to re-edit, Who



Yes, I will.

I think it's not OUR day today, since you also made some mistakes in the French forum.   



> In France okay is often used, I think the OK form is more common. Its written usage is recent I guess (with internet and so on).
> It's not used by older people, only by young and adults. I guess a french equivalent could be "D'accord" or "Pas de problème" (can't think of a short word) but of course it depends on the context.



I think "Pas de problème" is short enough: Three syllables like the German equivalent "Kein Problem" or "in Ordnung".   



> Hebrew: אוקיי (pronounced as in English. No abbreviated form.)



Hm, so I can cross Israel with "okay" and everybody will understand me.   



> We also use okay in everyday conversation, even in writing, but as far as I know only in informal writings (?) - like when you are writing a letter to a friend, or to your parents (jeje!).
> Okay is like saying 'yes', so in Filipino it would be 'OO', or like saying you are in agreement -
> Yes, I am okay - Oo, pumapayag ako.
> Hope I contributed.



Thank you very much. I think that's all.   



> In Spain is the same, we use it only in informal writings, I mean with friends, parents. OK is like "all right", in spanish "de acuerdo".
> 
> Un saludo.



Unas gracias.    I think it's the same matter as in French. "D'accord" (de acuerdo) is the original form, but OK is much more common amongst teens.



> In Spain this word is not used by older people either. And a short word for Ok is VALE.
> 
> Un saludo.



Yes, "vale" is as short as "okay" and I like it.   

Thank you all for contributing here.


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## elroy

Whodunit said:
			
		

> How else would you write it then? Is there a better "real" Arabic word?


 
Standard Arabic: حسنا (_hasanan_)

Colloquial Palestinian Arabic: طيب (_tayyeb_)


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## Mita

OK is understood here, in Chile. And we pronounce it like in English: "o-quei". But some people pronounce it as if it were a Spanish word: "o-ca". Also, some of us say oki (pronounced "o-qui"), oks (pronounced "o-cas") or okis (pronounced "o-quis"). There is also "oki doki" (o-qui, do-qui) 

Greetings!


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## Merlin

meili said:
			
		

> We also use okay in everyday conversation, even in writing, but as far as I know only in informal writings (?) - like when you are writing a letter to a friend, or to your parents (jeje!).
> Okay is like saying 'yes', so in Filipino it would be 'OO', or like saying you are in agreement -
> Yes, I am okay - Oo, pumapayag ako.
> Hope I contributed.


 
We use it in our everyday conversation but the spelling is change. I believe it's spelled as "Okey" instead of "Okay"


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## meili

Merlin said:
			
		

> We use it in our everyday conversation but the spelling is change. I believe it's spelled as "Okey" instead of "Okay"


Yes, we sometimes spell it as 'okey' to make it more Filipino.  In my case, I just write 'ok' for 'okay'. 


			
				mita said:
			
		

> OK is understood here, in Chile. And we pronounce it like in English: "o-quei". But some people pronounce it as if it were a Spanish word: "o-ca". Also, some of us say oki (pronounced "o-qui"), oks (pronounced "o-cas") or okis (pronounced "o-quis"). There is also "oki doki" (o-qui, do-qui)


I agree Mita.  We also say 'okay' on those manners here in the Philippines.  We even have a sitcom or a comedy tv show with that title : Oki Doki Dok! - (Okay Doctor!)


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## Whodunit

Mita said:
			
		

> There is also "oki doki" (o-qui, do-qui)



In German, too, but I assume it's not as common as "okay". Most of us Germans pronounce it very German like "oké", not "oukey".


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## Mita

Whodunit said:
			
		

> In German, too, but I assume it's not as common as "okay".


You're right; it's not so common here. But it sounds cute. ^^

Greetings!


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## ILT

In Mexico it is understood in coloquial spoken Spanish, and may be used in informal notes to friends or parents, but never in formal documentation.

Youngsters even modify it:

OK (pronounced spelling both letters in Spanish: oh ca)
oki doki

Another informal equivalent is sale.

For formal conversations/documents:
está bien
de acuerdo

Greetings


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## Whodunit

Thank you ILT, but I'm still missing languages like Japanese, Hebrew, or other Asian languages, except for Elroy's.


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## Outsider

_Okay/O.K._ is frequently used in informal, spoken language. In writing, it is rarer, but also used sometimes. 
It's definitely a recent loan from English.
There are several Portuguese alternatives with the same meaning.


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## elroy

Whodunit said:
			
		

> Thank you ILT, but I'm still missing languages like Japanese or Chinese, or other Asian languages, except for Elroy's.


 
Asian?  I wouldn't consider Arabic an Asian language, since it's spoken in Africa as well.  "Middle Eastern" is probably a better approximation.  Linguistically, "Semitic" is the correct term.


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## mixtli

In Mexico: OK= orale!, sale!, ya vas!,  hecho!,  ya estamos!, vamos!, de acuerdo, esta bien etc. 
Many of you know, but let me add this: OK sarted as a military acronysm. When the troups would come back from the fighting and after they were all accounted for, a sign was posted high in camp, "OK" which meant "0 killed" so everyone who saw the sign will say OK! and that was a good thing, a happy, positive thing that became what it is today, OK?


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## Outsider

What does 'O.K.' stand for?


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## mixtli

"Zero Killed" please read the previous thread, it explains a little of how it started


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## Whodunit

elroy said:
			
		

> Asian?  I wouldn't consider Arabic an Asian language, since it's spoken in Africa as well.  "Middle Eastern" is probably a better approximation.  Linguistically, "Semitic" is the correct term.



OMG, if I had written "I'm still missing all the Asian langauges", you would have complained, wouldn't you?


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## Christhiane

In Norwegian we use 'OK,' but we spell 'okay' 'okey' if we at all write it [okay]. I think it's only used in informal texts. 

I think it is used in both Danish and Swedish as well. 

I've heard that ok is the world's most used word.


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## elroy

Whodunit said:
			
		

> OMG, if I had written "I'm still missing all the Asian langauges", you would have complained, wouldn't you?


 
Well, it depends.

Would "Asian language" mean a language spoken exclusively in Asia, or one that is just spoken in Asia?  Would you consider Spanish a "European language"?  Intriguing...

As I said, the best term is "Middle Eastern language" - or, linguistically speaking, "Semitic."

I suggest you use "Semitic" to refer to Arabic from now on.


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## Whodunit

elroy said:
			
		

> Would "Asian language" mean a language spoken exclusively in Asia, or one that is just spoken in Asia? Would you consider Spanish a "European language"? Intriguing...


 
Arabic is an Asian language. Spanish is a Latinamerican language. German is a European language. Kiswahili is an Afican language. English is a world language. Compris?

But that's just my "illusion".


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## elroy

Whodunit said:
			
		

> Arabic is an Asian language. Spanish is a Latinamerican language. German is a European language. Kiswahili is an Afican language. English is a world language. Compris?
> 
> But that's just my "illusion".


 
An illusion indeed!!


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## ancsipancsi

Hi,
yes we use it in Hungarian with (about) the same pronounciation, but we write oké or ok. It has already its local forms like okés, oksa, oksi, okézsoké. 
Usually it is not used in formal language. We rather use Rendben. 

Regards,
A.


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## ulaulaula

Polish:

It's usually understood by all, very informal with the modified vowel pronunciation in a lot of other languages (okey instead of okay) and if someone were to write it out, they would probably write 'okej' or 'oki'. polish equivalent would be 'dobra' but ok is certainly understood.

Origins: Check out 'okay' on wikipedia. Looks like OK is one of those crazy things that sprung up everywhere from Ancient Greece to the Choctaw Indians of North America to the Wolof Language in Africa. Maybe it's like the Ancient Pyramids of the world...every civilization had their own reasons for using it.


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## Swettenham

ancsipancsi said:
			
		

> Usually it is not used in formal language.


Several people have commented that "okay" is not used in formal contexts in their language.  This isn't at all surprising.

You see, in English, "okay" is never, ever used in formal writing or conversation.  It is almost absurd to imagine using "okay" in a formal context in English!

It would indeed be an interesting phenomenon if "okay" became a formal word in some part of the world.  If that is the case in your language, let us know!  But if "okay" remains informal in your language, just as it is in probably every other language including the language that created it, then I don't think it's really necessary to say so.


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## Roi Marphille

Irali said:
			
		

> In Spain this word is not used by older people either. And a short word for Ok is VALE.
> 
> Un saludo.


yes, indeed. I'd also add that OK is widely used in the business world. Specially by email.

Example: 
Castilian: "¿me das el *OK* para embarcar la mercancía?" 
English: May I ship the goods? / is it *OK* to ship the goods?

cheers, 
Roi


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## Outsider

Swettenham said:
			
		

> Several people have commented that "okay" is not used in formal contexts in their language.  This isn't at all surprising.
> 
> You see, in English, "okay" is never, ever used in formal writing or conversation.  It is almost absurd to imagine using "okay" in a formal context in English!
> 
> It would indeed be an interesting phenomenon if "okay" became a formal word in some part of the world.  If that is the case in your language, let us know!  But if "okay" remains informal in your language, just as it is in probably every other language including the language that created it, then I don't think it's really necessary to say so.


You do have a point. I don't think the word "informal" fully describes the status of "O.K." in languages other than English. It would be better to say that it's more prevalent in certain social strata; for example, teenagers. In general, a teenager will use "O.K." much more frequently than an adult. The _same person_ may in fact use the word more frequently in their teens than in adulthood (I know this from personal experience).


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## anico

We use the word 'okay' too in Finland. It's pronounced just like the English version but written in Finnish way: 'okei'.


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## natasha2000

In serbian, OK is used in informal language, pronounces as in english, but written only as OK, and not Okay.


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## ellas!

In Greek people say okay too


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## Whodunit

Thank you all once again. 



			
				ellas! said:
			
		

> In Greek people say okay too


 
How would you write it?

_Οκευ_? Would that be "ok"?


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## DareRyan

Strangely enough, on my part of the East coast anyway, O.k. is beginning to die off. It is being replaced often by A'ight (All right) and I hear this much more often than ok now a days. This may just be a long island thing.


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## JamJam

In French 'ok' is frequently used informally, although often considered an "anglicisme" (an english expression pronounced in french).  The proper word used is "d'accord". This is used both when writting and speaking.

Le mot 'ok' est souvant utiliser comme langage courant, mais est considerer une 'anglicisme' ou expression anglaise.  La bonne mot = "d'accord"; qui est utiliser comme manierede parler et ecrire.

A la prochaine!


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## _sandra_

> Polish:
> It's usually understood by all, very informal with the modified vowel pronunciation in a lot of other languages (okey instead of okay) and if someone were to write it out, they would probably write 'okej' or 'oki'. polish equivalent would be 'dobra' but ok is certainly understood.


Just a comment:
IMHO - 'oki' is really rarely used now, has been quite popular for some time but especially among teenage girls I think.. 
O.K - is usually written as okej, ok, don't think okay or okey is used
And I agree it's informal so it isn't used neither in formal letters/situations nor by older people (with an exception for my grandmother 

Sandra


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## mahaz

no..we dont use it while writing Urdu but we write 'theek hai' instead of OK, but we use the word OK in dpeaking Urdu.


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## Swettenham

DareRyan said:
			
		

> Strangely enough, on my part of the East coast anyway, O.k. is beginning to die off. It is being replaced often by A'ight (All right) and I hear this much more often than ok now a days. This may just be a long island thing.


It probably has a lot to do with your age.

Well, as you said, it may be different in Long Island, but in my neck of the woods many young people say "A'ight," but most people over twenty years old are still more likely to say "okay" or "alright."

It's the influence of rap slang that has popularized "A'ight," which is why kids say it but not adults.

Cheers


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## badgrammar

From my limited knowledge of Turkish, I think "ok" is commonly used by the younger generations, and you often hear the word "Tam" used where an English speaker would say "ok".  Arkadaslarim, please correct me if I am wrong )


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## DareRyan

Swettenham said:
			
		

> It probably has a lot to do with your age.
> 
> Well, as you said, it may be different in Long Island, but in my neck of the woods many young people say "A'ight," but most people over twenty years old are still more likely to say "okay" or "alright."
> 
> It's the influence of rap slang that has popularized "A'ight," which is why kids say it but not adults.
> 
> Cheers



Strangely enough this isn't the case. I attend a Catholic high school and it is not uncommon to hear the brothers (most are along in years) use this expression. Also it has permiated the culture to a large degree, to the point where my parents use it semi-frequently as well.


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## mietagosia

Hello! I'm from Poland. Everyone understands "OK" and "okay" perfectly here . We also have our coloquial words such as "wporzo" "spoko" "spox", but OK is the most common and the best known one among all the generations. 
Take care, bye!


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## MarX

Wow, OK is quite universal indeed.

In Indonesian it is widely used.

It is written as *OK*, *oke*, *okey*, etc.

Just as in many languages, *OK* in Indonesian can function as a verb or noun or whatever.


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## VivaReggaeton88

DareRyan said:


> Strangely enough this isn't the case. I attend a Catholic high school and it is not uncommon to hear the brothers (most are along in years) use this expression. Also it has permiated the culture to a large degree, to the point where my parents use it semi-frequently as well.



Hey, I'm from Long Island. I have noticed the influence of 'aight' here but OK is used much much more than that, especially with the Hispanic population in Hempstead, Uniondale, Brentwood & Copiague. Yes, African Americans are more likely to be heard using "aight" but still, OK prevails any day.


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## Nizo

In *Esperanto*, the standard equivalents for okay are _*bone*_ or _*en ordo*_, or when it means "agreed," _*konsentite*_.

However, like speakers of many other languages, some Esperantists have adopted *o kej *into their speech, and it sometimes appears in writing.  It is controversial.  The most comprehensive grammar book of Esperanto (_Plena Manlibro de Esperanta Gramatiko_-PMEG) includes *o kej* in its list of interjections.  However, it warns that it should always be written as two words (*o kej*) and never as one word (*okej*), which seems to be the more common practice.


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## bb3ca201

Because most of us Gaels speak English, we use "OK"; however, we also have just as common an expression "ceart gu leor", with a written accent on the 'o'.


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