Just to add a little more to this, but we also say things like,
"Hmmm"
"Ummm"
"Uhhhh"
I kind of exaggerated, but I wanted you to get the picture. ("get the picture" basically just means "understand.")
"Hmm" and "Umm" are very nasal sounds. You would probably need to hear these though to fully get the picture.
For example:
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Uhhh, I dunno" (This is a very natural way that young people speak in America. "I dunno" just means, " I don`t know," but it is more conversational).
"Want to come to Denny`s with us?"
"Uhh, I, uhh, have plans already tonight with my, uhh, family."
"Hmm" always sounds like you are in deep thought about something.
So when you are in thinking about something deeply, then this is probably your best choice.
"Hmmm"
"Ummm"
"Uhhhh"
I kind of exaggerated, but I wanted you to get the picture. ("get the picture" basically just means "understand.")
"Hmm" and "Umm" are very nasal sounds. You would probably need to hear these though to fully get the picture.
For example:
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Uhhh, I dunno" (This is a very natural way that young people speak in America. "I dunno" just means, " I don`t know," but it is more conversational).
"Want to come to Denny`s with us?"
"Uhh, I, uhh, have plans already tonight with my, uhh, family."
"Hmm" always sounds like you are in deep thought about something.
So when you are in thinking about something deeply, then this is probably your best choice.
Hope this helped.
間投詞的な言葉に関しては、言語の差はあまりないのではないと思います。
つまり日本人が「うーん」というように、さすがにはっきり「うーん」とは言いませんが、外国人も鼻息で「ふーん」みたいに、自然な表現で、言いますよね。
しかしながら、たぶん英語で発するなら、考えをまとめる時などは“...well”とかいいますね。
「ええーと」とかも、考えをまとめてる時に言うならば“Let me see...”などですかね。