やあ
yā[ja̠ː]
The English phrase "hi informally" is translated into Japanese as やあ (yā).
やあ is a casual greeting used to say hello, typically used by males when addressing friends or acquaintances.
Which one should you use?
While やあ is very casual and often used by men, こんにちは is the standard, more polite way to say hello to anyone. Additionally, if you are specifically greeting someone in the morning, you can use the informal greeting おはよう, which is equivalent to saying "Good morning" in English.
How do you pronounce it?
yā
Did you know?
- The word やあ is technically an onomatopoeic exclamation that evolved into a greeting, mimicking a sound used to grab someone's attention.
- In many casual social settings, Japanese speakers often skip a verbal 'hi' entirely and instead use a simple wave or a slight nod of the head.
- While やあ is a valid greeting, it can sound slightly old-fashioned or like a character in a manga, rather than how modern teenagers actually speak.
Examples in context
- やあ、元気？Ya, genki?Hi, how are you?
- やあ、久しぶり！Ya, hisashiburi!Hi, long time no see!
- やあ、今日はいい天気だね。Ya, kyō wa ii tenki da ne.Hi, the weather is nice today, isn't it?
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui meet on their way to school.
- 健太 Kentaやあ、結衣！Ya, Yui!Hi, Yui!
- 結衣 Yuiあ、健太。おはよう。A, Kenta. Ohayou.Oh, Kenta. Good morning.
- 健太 Kenta今日も暑いね。Kyou mo atsui ne.It is hot today too, isn't it?
- 結衣 Yui本当だね。Hontou da ne.It really is.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry やあ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
