やあ
yā[ja̠ː]
The English phrase "hey there" can be translated into Japanese as やあ (yā).
やあ is an informal way to say hi or hey. Other informal greetings include おっす, which is similar to saying "hey" in English and ちわっす, an informal greeting popular among teenagers and younger individuals.
Which one should you use?
Unlike more formal greetings such as こんにちは, やあ is unsuitable for use with strangers, teachers or superiors.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
やあ is an informal greeting used primarily between close friends or by males toward peers. Similarly, おっす and ちわっす are also informal.
Did you know?
- While やあ is an informal greeting, it is rarely used by women in modern daily conversation, as it can sound somewhat masculine or stylized.
- In Japanese culture, greetings like やあ are often accompanied by a small nod or a slight bow, even among close friends, whereas a full bow would be too formal.
- While many English speakers use 'hey' to start a text message, using やあ in a digital message might make you look like a character from a 1980s anime.
Examples in context
- やあ、元気？Yaa, genki?Hey there, how are you?
- やあ、久しぶりだね。Yaa, hisashiburi dane.Hey there, it's been a while.
- やあ、調子はどうだい？Yaa, choushi wa dou dai?Hey there, how's it going?
Example conversation
Two friends meet unexpectedly on the street.
- 健太 Kentaやあ、美咲！Ya, Misaki!Hey there, Misaki!
- 美咲 Misakiあ、健太！びっくりした。A, Kenta! Bikkuri shita.Oh, Kenta! You surprised me.
- 健太 Kentaここで会うなんてすごいね。Koko de au nante sugoi ne.It's amazing to run into you here.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に。どこへ行くの？Hontou ni. Doko e iku no?Really. Where are you going?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry やあ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
