hæ

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ha", Appendix:Variations of "he", and Appendix:Variations of "hae"

Danish

Interjection

hæ

1. (onomatopoeia) Signifies rough, uncouth laughter.
   • 2013, Poul Lybæk, Hjertets lyst, BoD – Books on Demand, →ISBN, page 269:

     En skjøn tur på Island, hva'? Skjøn tur med mange fisk og mange piger, hæhæ.

     A nice trip on Iceland, eh? Nice trip with lots of fish and lots of girls, hehe.

   • 2009, Kåre Johannessen, Slægten 7: Blodsbånd, Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

     Den lille spøg endte med at koste ham hele Sverige, hæhæ! Må han rådne i Helvede.« Lodehat spyttede dybfølt på gulvet.

     That little joke ended up costing him all of Sweden, harhar! May he rot in Hell.« Lodehat spit on the floor emphatically.

   • 2016, Hulda Lütken, Lokesæd, Gyldendal A/S, →ISBN:

     Men hun har vel sine Øjne andre Steder – Hæhæ! ... Anton spyttede efter ham. – Dit Giftkryb!

     But I suppose she has her eyes elsewhere - Haha! ... Anton spit at him. - You venomous creep!

   • 1985, Ole Lindboe, Frisk som en havørn og andre sociale noveller:

     »Men herregud, det bliver vi jo alle [ældre], og hun er stadig, hæhæ, en dejlig pige, ...

     »But oh well, we all do [age], and she is still, hehe, a lovely girl, ...

See also

• ha (neutral)

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /haiː/

  Rhymes: -aiː

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English hi some time after 1970, possibly also influenced by Danish hej.

Interjection

hæ

1. (informal) hi

   Synonym: halló

Usage notes

Hæ is a relatively informal greeting, but very common. The greetings sæll, blessaður, góðan dag and gott kvöld are more appropriate in formal situations.

The use of hæ and bæ (corresponding to English hi and bye) was frowned upon by older speakers well into the 2000s.

Etymology 2

Interjection

hæ

1. hey! (an exclamation to get attention)
2. ha!, yippee! (an exclamation of joy)

   Hæ, hæ og hó, hó! Húsfreyja veit ei hvað ég heiti! Gilitrutt heit ég! ― Yippee! The lady does not know my name. Gilitrutt is my name!

Middle English

Pronoun

hæ

1. Alternative form of he (“he”)

Norwegian

Etymology

Attested in several texts before 1800.

Interjection

hæ

1. huh; Word expressing doubt or confusion.
2. Word used to express amusement or subtle surprise.
3. (informal) used to indicate that one did not hear what was said.

See also

• hø
• hæhæ

References

• “hae” in The Bokmål Dictionary / The Nynorsk Dictionary.
• “hæ” in The Ordnett Dictionary