Aha as answer

Question

Hi,In many occasions when I tell people thank you, I get the respond aha. What does it mean?Are they unhappy, and just want to go a way?Any help please, thank you. But please without aha

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

Hello Anonymous.

I'm mystified. If someone says "Thank you," then the correct response is "You're welcome." Other responses have, alas, developed, my least favorite being "no problem." (Although I think "Happy to help" is okay.)

I think that you may be hearing "uh huh" which is (in my opinion) a lax way of saying "no problem." It's not very gracious, but you should not interpret that as "please go away." If you are seeing "aha" in writing, then I don't know what to tell you.

Don't model your behavior on them. Stick with "thank you" and "you're welcome."

IAm · Answer

I think aha in that context means "not at all", "you're welcome".

OoPAPERoo · Answer

I think they say "aha" because they're surprise.

Gorjuschik · Answer

i agree.

i think the use of IM (instant messengers) contributed to such malpractice and misuse of the word.

Grammar GeekHello Anonymous.

I'm mystified. If someone says "Thank you," then the correct response is "You're welcome." Other responses have, alas, developed, my least favorite being "no problem." (Although I think "Happy to help" is okay.)

I think that you may be hearing "uh huh" which is (in my opinion) a lax way of saying "no problem." It's not very gracious, but you should not interpret that as "please go away." If you are seeing "aha" in writing, then I don't know what to tell you.

Don't model your behavior on them. Stick with "thank you" and "you're welcome."

Marius Hancu · Answer

IAmI think aha in that context means "not at all", "you're welcome".

I think so. And GG's right, this isn't polite.

Anonymous · Answer

OoPAPERooI think they say "aha" because they're surprise.

Surprise??? I hear it in face-to-face talks, i.e. I used to work in an electronic shop, we say thank you to our customers for choosing to purchase from us, so stay silent and many say aha, and few say no, thank you(The last group I think is the nicest group).

J Lewis · Answer

OoPAPERoo mentions surprise. "Aha, so that's where you've been hiding!" More triumph than surprise, I think, but anyway with a different intonation from the sense being discussed here.

Marius Hancu · Answer

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uh-huh

Pronunciation: a disyllabic utterance with m- or n-sounds at beginning and end, an h-like interval of voicelessness between, and heavier stress on the first member; in the registering of gratification the voiced members are more prolonged, about equal in stress, and the sound is higher in pitch,

ⁿ|h

ⁿ
Function: interjection

-- used to indicate affirmation, agreement, or gratification
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aha
Pronunciation: ä

hä,

h

,

-
Function: interjection
Etymology: Middle English

-- used to express surprise, triumph, or derision

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BarbaraPA · Answer

Grammar GeekI think that you may be hearing "uh huh" which is (in my opinion) a lax way of saying "no problem." It's not very gracious, but you should not interpret that as "please go away." If you are seeing "aha" in writing, then I don't know what to tell you.

And so we come full circle from my original response.

Ewomack · Answer

"Aha!" implies a breakthrough or a discovery, even in everyday conversation. I'll try to provide an example.

Bob: Hello, I haven't met you before, have I?

Glen: Well, we have been writing e-mails back and forth for two weeks. My online name is George7876.

Bob: Aha! It's you!

I don't know if that makes it clearer. "Aha" isn't extremely common where I live, but I see it in older movies and in television shows now and then. It can also provide a shorter way of saying "Yes! Now I understand!" Old detective stories will use it this way. If you try searching for the word on Google you'll find a lot of refences to a band from the 1980s called "A-ha".

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