ajabaja

Swedish

Alternative forms

• aja baja

Etymology

Unknown, debated. Earliest known example from a 1954. Possibly constructed from the common human warning signal "ajajaj..." plus Swedish baj (“punishing call”).

Interjection

ajabaja

1. (colloquial, to children) No, you are not allowed to do that!; punishing call; tut tut

   Ajabaja!

   Do not do that!

   Ajabaja, inget godis före maten!

   Put that down, no candy before dinner!

See also

• baj (“fecal, filth, punishing call”)

References

• ajabaja in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• Henrik Rosenkvist (2019 November 4) “Så tar barnen plats i språket”, in Språket‎^[1], SR P1, retrieved 28 September 2021: “14 minutes, 15 seconds”