やあ
yā[ja̠ː]
The English phrase "hi" can be translated into Japanese using やあ (yā), どうも or よう.
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) |
In Japanese, several words can function as a greeting. やあ is a casual and friendly way of saying hi used among friends or acquaintances. どうも can mean "hi" in certain contexts, but it is more commonly used as a versatile word for "thanks" or a greeting in passing. よう is also an informal way to say hi.
Which one should you use?
While やあ is a friendly, casual greeting, どうも is more often used as a versatile word for "thanks" or a passing "hello".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
やあ is a casual greeting often used between close friends or by someone of higher status to someone of lower status. よう is also labeled as informal. For more formal situations, you might use こんにちは (hello/hi), おはようございます (good morning) or こんばんは (good evening).
How do you pronounce it?
yā
Did you know?
- The greeting どうも is a linguistic chameleon. Because it literally translates to 'no matter how' or 'in all cases', it can function as 'hi', 'thanks', or even 'sorry' depending entirely on the situation.
- The greeting よう has a linguistic history rooted in the classical Japanese suffix む, which was used to express volition or intention.
- In Japan, a greeting like どうも is often accompanied by a slight nod of the head, which can replace a full bow in very casual passing encounters.
Examples in context
- やあ！元気？Hi! How are you?This sentence is useful for practicing the greeting やあ in a question about well-being.Tatoeba #193152 by bunbuku, translation #30316 by Zifre
- やあ、みんな！Hi, everybody!This sentence is useful for practicing how to address a group 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 practicing the greeting やあ when asking what is new.Tatoeba #193143 by small_snow, translation #30308 by CM
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends meet on a street corner.
- 大翔 Hirotoやあ、美咲！久しぶりだね。Yaa, Misaki! Hisashiburi da ne.Hi, Misaki! It's been a while.
- 美咲 Misakiあ、大翔！びっくりしたよ。A, Hiroto! Bikkuri shita yo.Oh, Hiroto! You surprised me.
- 大翔 Hiroto今どこに行くところなの？Ima doko ni iku tokoro nano?Where are you heading now?
- 美咲 Misakiこれから駅のカフェに行くよ。Kore kara eki no kafe ni iku yo.I'm going to the station cafe now.
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.
