Learn Italian: Dov'è il gatto? Boh! - Where is the cat? No idea!

It is short for Dove è (Where is). When a word ending in a vowel like dove comes right before a word starting with a vowel like è, Italians often drop the first vowel and replace it with an apostrophe. This makes it flow better when speaking.

Is Boh a real word?

Yes, it is a very common slang word or exclamation in spoken Italian! It simply means "I do not know" or "No idea." People usually say it while shrugging their shoulders.

Is it polite to say Boh to strangers?

No, boh is very informal. It is perfect for casual chats with friends. If you need to tell a stranger, a teacher, or a shop owner that you do not know something, you should use the full phrase Non lo so instead.

What happens to Dov'è if I want to ask about more than one cat?

The word dove (where) stays the same, but the verb changes to the plural form sono (are). Since sono starts with a consonant, you cannot use an apostrophe. You would simply say Dove sono i gatti?