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 works like the English 'hey', while よう is a very casual expression that works like the English 'yo'. どうも can function as a shorthand way to say 'hello' when passing someone briefly.
Which one should you use?
やあ is a friendly, casual greeting often used between close friends or by someone addressing a group. よう is a very casual, masculine-leaning greeting. While どうも can mean 'hi' in certain contexts, it is more commonly used as a versatile, shorthand way to say 'thanks' or 'hello' when passing someone briefly.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
やあ and よう are informal. For formal settings, one would use おはようございます for 'good morning' or こんばんは for 'good evening'. In informal settings, friends might use こんにちは for 'hi' or おはよう for 'good morning'.
How do you pronounce it?
yā
When do people say it?
It is customary to bow when greeting someone in Japanese culture.
Did you know?
- The greeting どうも is actually a grammatical fragment that literally translates to 'no matter how' or 'in all cases'.
- Using やあ to greet a group is common, but doing so to a superior in a workplace would be considered a social mistake.
Examples in context
- やあ！元気？Hi! How are you?This example shows the use of やあ to ask how someone is.Tatoeba #193152 by bunbuku, translation #30316 by Zifre
- やあ、みんな！Hi, everybody!This example shows the use of やあ to greet a group.Tatoeba #10625672 by small_snow, translation #466652 by Alkrasnov
- やあ、調子はどう。Hi! What's new?This example shows the use of やあ as a casual opening.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あ、結衣。久しぶり！A, Yui. Hisashiburi!Oh, Yui. Long time no see!
- 結衣 Yuiここで会うなんてびっくり。Koko de au nante bikkuri.I'm surprised to see you here.
- 健太 Kenta本当だね。一緒にお茶しようか。Hontou da ne. Issho ni ocha shiyou ka.True. Shall we have some tea together?
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.
