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) |
The Japanese terms for hi are used in friendly, informal settings. やあ is typically used when approaching someone you already know in a friendly, lighthearted manner. どうも can function as a very casual, multipurpose greeting similar to 'hi' or 'hey' in certain contexts, though it is more commonly used to mean 'thanks'.
Which one should you use?
While やあ is a friendly greeting, よう is a more casual, masculine-coded 'yo' often used between close male friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term よう is tagged as informal. For more formal settings, you might use こんにちは for a common and versatile way to say hi or はじめまして when meeting someone for the first time. To say 'I am glad to meet you' formally, use お会いできてうれしいです.
How do you pronounce it?
yā
Did you know?
- The greeting どうも literally means 'no matter how' or 'in all cases'.
- The greeting よう is frequently paired with a short, sharp nod of the head rather than a full bow.
- While やあ is friendly, using it with a superior in a Japanese workplace could be seen as a serious breach of etiquette.
Examples in context
- やあ！元気？Hi! How are you?This sentence is useful for saying 'Hi! How are you?' using やあ.Tatoeba #193152 by bunbuku, translation #30316 by Zifre
- やあ、みんな！Hi, everybody!This sentence is useful for saying 'Hi, everybody!' using やあ.Tatoeba #10625672 by small_snow, translation #466652 by Alkrasnov
- やあ、調子はどう。Hi! What's new?This sentence is useful for saying 'Hi! What's new?' using やあ.Tatoeba #193143 by small_snow, translation #30308 by CM
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta meet at a cafe.
- 結衣 Yuiやあ、健太！Ya, Kenta!Hi, Kenta!
- 健太 Kentaやあ、結衣。久しぶりだね。Ya, Yui. Hisashiburi da ne.Hi, Yui. Long time no see.
- 結衣 Yuiどこに座る？Doko ni suwaru?Where should we sit?
- 健太 Kentaあそこの窓際がいいよ。Asoko no madogiwa ga ii yo.By the window over there is good.
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.
