やあ
yācasual
To friends, やあ (yā) is a friendly "hello". Young men also say おっす (ossu), and a group is welcomed with みんな、おはよう (minna, ohayō). It is also called こんにちは (konnichiwa).
Meaning: greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| やあ | yā | casual |
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | neutral |
| おっす | ossu | very casual, mostly male |
こんにちは (konnichiwa) is correct but formal among close friends. In the morning, friends drop the polite ending and say おはよう (ohayō).
Which one should you use?
おっす (ossu) is rough and mostly male. Women often use やっほー (yahhō), which is cheerful and playful.
Did you know?
- おっす (ossu) is believed to be a shortened form of おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu).
Examples in context
- おっす、久しぶり。Ossu, hisashiburi.Hey, long time.
Example conversation
Yuna and Ryo meet in front of a cafe with a group of friends.
- Yunaみんな、やっほー！Minna, yahhō!Hey everyone!
- Ryoおっす、遅いぞ。Ossu, osoi zo.Hey, you are late.
- Yunaごめんごめん。Gomen gomen.Sorry, sorry.
