Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| やあ | yā | [ja̠ː] (narrow) |
| どうも | dōmo | [do̞ːmo̞] (narrow) |
| よう | yō | [jo̞ː] (narrow) |
These terms are used as friendly, informal greetings. やあ is typically used when approaching someone you already know rather than as a formal greeting for a stranger. While どうも can function as a casual "hi" in certain contexts, it is more commonly used as a versatile word for "thanks" or "hello" in passing. Among friends, you might also skip a direct "hello" and instead ask "how are you?" using Genki?
Which one should you use?
やあ is a friendly, casual greeting often used between close friends or by males. よう is a more masculine and highly informal version of "hi" compared to やあ, often functioning like "yo" or "hey". どうも differs from the others as it is a versatile word frequently used to mean "thanks" or to say a quick "hello" when passing someone.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
All these forms are informal. やあ is a casual greeting for people you know. よう is even more informal, categorized as slang. For more formal time-specific greetings, you might use Ohayou gozaimasu (good morning) until around 10 a.m., Konnichiwa (hello) for general daytime use, or Konbanwa (good evening) after around 6 p.m.
How do you pronounce it?
yā
When do people say it?
In Japanese, greetings often change based on the time of day. For example, Ohayou gozaimasu is used for the morning, while Konbanwa is used for the evening. If you are among younger people, you might hear the energetic expression Yaho (ヤッホー) used as an informal greeting.
Did you know?
- Unlike the casual やあ, the formal Konnichiwa was originally part of a longer sentence that meant 'today is…', acting as an opening to a conversation.
- The informal greeting ヤッホー 'Yaho' is often associated with an energetic, echoing shout used when calling out to someone from a distance, such as on a mountain.
- The informal greeting よう actually originated from a grammatical suffix used to express intention or a suggestion, rather than a standalone word.
Examples in context
- やあ！元気？Hi! How are you?This sentence is useful for practicing a casual "Hi! How are you?" using やあ.Tatoeba #193152 by bunbuku, translation #30316 by Zifre
- やあ、みんな！Hi, everybody!This sentence shows how to say "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 demonstrates a casual "Hi! What's new?" using やあ.Tatoeba #193143 by small_snow, translation #30308 by CM
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui meet in a park.
- 蓮 Renやあ、結衣！Yaa, Yui!Hi, Yui!
- 結衣 Yuiあ、蓮。こんにちは。A, Ren. Konnichiwa.Oh, Ren. Hello.
- 蓮 Ren元気だった？Genki datta?Have you been well?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、元気だよ。Un, genki dayo.Yes, I'm doing well.
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.
