やあ
yaacasual
The casual way to say "hi" in Japanese is やあ (yaa). Friends also say おっす (ossu) and どうも (doumo).
Meaning: casual greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| やあ | yaa | casual |
| おっす | ossu | casual, mostly male |
| どうも | doumo | casual, short |
やあ (yaa) is friendly and easy for any speaker. おっす (ossu) is a short, energetic greeting among friends and is mostly used by men. どうも (doumo) works as a light "hi" or "thanks" with people you know a little.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
With a boss, a teacher or a stranger, use こんにちは (konnichiwa) instead. Casual greetings can sound rude to those people.
How do you pronounce it?
Say やあ (yaa) with a long a sound, like "yah".
Did you know?
- The greeting おっす (ossu) is known from martial arts clubs, where it is a short, strong sound of respect and effort.
Examples in context
- やあ、元気?Yaa, genki?Hi, how are you?
- おっす!久しぶり。Ossu! Hisashiburi.Hey! Long time no see.
- どうも、また会ったね。Doumo, mata atta ne.Hi, we meet again.
Example conversation
Shun runs into his friend Kota on the street.
- Shunやあ、コウタ!Yaa, Kouta!Hi, Kota!
- Kotaおっす、元気?Ossu, genki?Hey, how are you?
- Shunうん、元気だよ。Un, genki da yo.Yes, I am fine.
