# Whoa vs Woah
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-vs-woah/264118
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 12, 2004, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-vs-woah/264118 "2004-09-12T07:24:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2004, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-vs-woah/264118/1 "2004-09-12T07:24:22Z")
When Keanu Reeves needs to express an opinion what is the word he uses?
I was raised that you spelled it “whoa” and there was no other acceptable spelling. But lately I’ve been seeing the word “woah” with increasing frequency. At first I assumed it was just poor spell checking but I’ve now been seeing it in more authoritative places. Is “woah” an acceptable (or even preferred) way to spell this word? If the “h” is allowed to drift to new locations will we soon be seeing “woha” or even “hwoa”? Maybe the other letters will be encouraged by this rogue letter’s reckless example and we’ll have to endure “owah” or “hwao”.
(Insert clever joke about “woe is me” that I’m too tired to make at 3:00 am)
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### Author:  [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2004, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-vs-woah/264118/2 "2004-09-12T07:46:22Z")
\*Whoa \*is the only correct way to write it and, similarly, it is _whoo_, not _woo_ and _whee_, not _wee_.
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### Author:  [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2004, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-vs-woah/264118/3 "2004-09-12T09:28:13Z")
I think “woah” is largely a result of people who pronounce it as two syllables for added emphasis. “Whoa-uh” versus “whoa”.
For words that are spelled like they sound, if someone says it so it sounds differently from how it’s normally spelled, I tend to spell it differently too. Of course “woah” isn’t quite right that way either.
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2004, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-vs-woah/264118/4 "2004-09-12T13:51:05Z")
So, it’s _“Feelings, whoa, whoa, whoa, feelings?”_ Nonsense. :dubious:
Whoa is a command to stop. The “h” is sounded.
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### Author:  [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2004, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-vs-woah/264118/5 "2004-09-13T12:29:54Z")
People say “whoa-uh?”
Who are these people? And where can I find them?
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2004, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-vs-woah/264118/6 "2004-09-13T12:40:39Z")
Perhaps Keanu is the best example of why someone might write it as ‘woah’ - he does actually end and follow the vocalisation with a sort of subvocal laugh/‘huh’