Ope

Ope is an expression of surprise commonly used by Midwesterners. People most often speak it out loud when reacting to something unexpected, such as bumping into a person or accidentally dropping a pen.

You will likely hear people use it as a variation of "oh," oops, whoops, or whoa. However, people may also use it as an alternative to "excuse me" or "pardon me" as a polite way to respond to surprising physical contact.