やった
yatta[ja̠t̚ta̠]
In Japanese, 'I did it' can be expressed as やった (yatta).
The phrase is an exclamation used to express joy or excitement after achieving a goal or succeeding at something. When used as a standalone exclamation like やった！, it functions as an expression of triumph or joy rather than a literal statement of an action performed.
Which one should you use?
While やった is a common way to say 'I did it', other forms exist depending on the context. For formal contexts, use shimashita to mean 'I did it' or specific phrases like Seikou shimashita to convey that you successfully achieved something.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
やった is informal and is most commonly used among friends, family or when talking to oneself. In formal contexts, one might use shimashita or specific phrases such as Keikaku o kanryo shimashita (I have completed the plan) or Sekinin o torimashita (I took responsibility).
How do you pronounce it?
yatta
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, the verb 'yaru' can be used as a euphemism for 'to die' or 'to perform sexual intercourse', making the literal meaning of the root quite different from the celebratory exclamation.
- In certain contexts, やった can be used sarcastically to mean 'Oh great' or 'Just what I needed' when something bad happens, similar to the English 'Great, just great'.
- While やった is a common way to say 'I did it', its dictionary root やる (yaru) can also mean 'to give' in a very casual, sometimes even rude, way to someone of lower status.
Examples in context
- 急いでやったよ。I did it in a hurry.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of やった to describe an action performed in a hurry.Tatoeba #11101216 by small_snow, translation #2484947 by AlanF_US
- こんなふうにやったんだよ。This is how I did it.This sentence shows how to use やった to explain the manner in which something was done.Tatoeba #9112498 by bunbuku, translation #60392 by CK
- 息子のためにやったんです。I did it for my son.This sentence demonstrates using やった to express an action done for someone else.Tatoeba #10580228 by small_snow, translation #9141226 by CK
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are celebrating after a difficult video game level is completed.
- 陽葵 Himariやった！クリアできたよ！Yatta! Kuria dekita yo!I did it! I cleared the level!
- 大翔 Hirotoすごいね、陽葵。本当におめでとう。Sugoi ne, Himari. Honto ni omedeto.That's amazing, Himari. Congratulations, really.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔も一緒にやったでしょ？Hiroto mo issho ni yatta desho?You did it with me too, right, Hiroto?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、最高に楽しかったよ。Un, saiko ni tanoshikatta yo.Yeah, it was so much fun.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry やった, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
