やあ
yā[ja̠ː]
The English phrase "informal hello" is translated into Japanese as やあ (yā).
やあ is a casual greeting used to say hi or hey. It is typically used when approaching someone you already know rather than as a way to introduce yourself to a stranger for the first time.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
やあ is an informal greeting used primarily among close friends or peers. If you wish to say "good morning" informally, you can use おはよう.
How do you pronounce it?
yā
Did you know?
- While やあ is a friendly greeting, it is almost exclusively used by men in modern Japan. A woman using it may sound unusually masculine or like a character from an older novel.
- While やあ is a greeting, it is also used as an exclamation of surprise, similar to how an English speaker might say 'Oh!' or 'Ah!' when encountering something unexpected.
- Because it is so brief, やあ is often paired with a slight nod of the head to convey friendliness without needing a full bow.
Examples in context
- やあ、元気？Yaa, genki?Hi, how are you?
- やあ、久しぶり！Yaa, hisashiburi!Hi, long time no see!
Example conversation
Two friends meeting at a park.
- 大翔 Hirotoやあ、美咲！Yaa, Misaki!Hi, Misaki!
- 美咲 Misakiあ、大翔！元気だった？A, Hiroto! Genki datta?Oh, Hiroto! Have you been well?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、元気だよ。Un, genki dayo.Yeah, I'm doing well.
- 美咲 Misakiよかった！Yokatta!That's good!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry やあ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
