Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| やあ | yā | [ja̠ː] (narrow) |
| どうも | dōmo | [do̞ːmo̞] (narrow) |
| よう | yō | [jo̞ː] (narrow) |
These terms are used as friendly, informal greetings. For example, どうも can function as a casual 'hi' or 'thanks' depending on the context and tone.
Which one should you use?
やあ is a very casual greeting often used between close friends or by someone older to someone younger. よう is a more masculine and extremely casual way to say 'hi' compared to やあ.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
よう is a very casual way to say hi among close friends.
How do you pronounce it?
yā
When do people say it?
Japanese greetings are often time-specific or situational. おはようございます is a greeting used specifically in the morning, typically before noon, while おはよう is an informal way to say good morning or hi among friends or acquaintances. こんにちは is a versatile way to say hi that can be used from mid-morning to late afternoon. こんばんは is a phrase used in the evening, after sunset and can be used informally in the evening to greet friends. はじめまして is a formal greeting used when meeting someone for the first time.
Did you know?
- While こんにちは is a common 'hi', it literally means 'today is' and was originally part of a longer sentence wishing someone a good day.
- The casual greeting どうも is actually a shortened version of a much longer phrase meaning 'no matter how' or 'in all cases'.
- In many Japanese contexts, a greeting is not just a word but is often accompanied by a slight bow, even if using very casual forms like やあ.
Examples in context
- やあ！元気？Hi! How are you?This example shows how to use やあ to ask how someone is doing.Tatoeba #193152 by bunbuku, translation #30316 by Zifre
- やあ、みんな！Hi, everybody!This example shows how to use やあ when greeting a group.Tatoeba #10625672 by small_snow, translation #466652 by Alkrasnov
- やあ、調子はどう。Hi! What's new?This example shows how to use やあ to ask what is new.Tatoeba #193143 by small_snow, translation #30308 by CM
- Konnichiwa, sensei. O-genki desu ka? (こんにちは、先生。お元気ですか？)Hello, teacher. How are you?
- Hajimemashite, watashi wa John desu. (はじめまして、私はジョンです。)Nice to meet you, I'm John.
- Konnichiwa, genki? (こんにちは、元気？)Hey, how are you?
- Ohayō, neko-chan! (おはよう、猫ちゃん！)Good morning, kitty!
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himariやあ、健太！久しぶり。Yaa, Kenta! Hisashiburi.Hi, Kenta! Long time no see.
- 健太 Kentaやあ、陽葵。元気にしてた？Yaa, Himari. Genki ni shiteta?Hi, Himari. Have you been well?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、元気だよ。Un, genki dayo.Yeah, I'm doing great.
- 健太 Kentaそれはよかった。Sore wa yokatta.That's good to hear.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries やあ, どうも, よう, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries どうも, よう, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
