やあ
yā[ja̠ː]
The English phrase "hi" can be translated into Japanese as やあ (yā). Wiktionary also lists どうも (dōmo) and よう (yō).
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| やあ | yā | [ja̠ː] (narrow) |
| どうも | dōmo | [do̞ːmo̞] (narrow) |
| よう | yō | [jo̞ː] (narrow) |
やあ is a friendly, somewhat lighthearted greeting often used when approaching someone you already know. In general, addressing someone by their name combined with the honorific さん is considered polite.
Which one should you use?
While やあ is a direct greeting, どうも is a versatile word that can mean "hi", "thanks" or "hello" depending on the context and tone.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word よう is an informal way to say hi. For a more formal greeting specifically for "Good Morning", you should use おはようございます. An informal version of "Good Morning" used between friends or people of similar age is おはよう.
How do you pronounce it?
yā
Did you know?
- Using やあ is more common for men than for women in traditional Japanese speech patterns.
- In many social situations, Japanese people may avoid a verbal 'hi' entirely and instead use a small nod of the head.
- The greeting どうも literally translates to 'no matter how' or 'in all cases'.
Examples in context
- やあ！元気？Hi! How are you?This sentence is useful for practicing the greeting やあ.Tatoeba #193152 by bunbuku, translation #30316 by Zifre
- やあ、みんな！Hi, everybody!Tatoeba #10625672 by small_snow, translation #466652 by Alkrasnov
- やあ、調子はどう。Hi! What's new?Tatoeba #193143 by small_snow, translation #30308 by CM
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends bump into each other on the street.
- 陽葵 Himariやあ、大翔！久しぶり。Yaa, Hiroto! Hisashiburi.Hi, Hiroto! Long time no see.
- 大翔 Hirotoあ、陽葵！元気にしてた？A, Hiyori! Genki ni shiteta?Oh, Hiyori! How have you been?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、元気だよ。どこに行くの？Un, genki da yo. Doko ni iku no?Yeah, I'm good. Where are you going?
- 大翔 Hiroto駅の方まで歩いてるんだ。Eki no hou made aruiteru nda.I'm just walking toward the station.
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.
