ううん
uuncasual, soft
Casual "no" in Japanese is ううん (uun) for a soft answer and いや (iya) for a plain one. やだ (yada) means "I do not want to". ちがう (chigau) means "that is wrong".
Meaning: casual refusal or denial (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ううん | uun | casual, soft |
| いや | iya | casual |
| やだ | yada | casual, refusing |
| ちがう | chigau | casual, that is wrong |
ううん (uun) is a gentle denial, used with friends and family. いや (iya) is a bit firmer. Use these only with people you know well, because the polite word is いいえ (iie).
Which one should you use?
やだ (yada) refuses an offer or request, and ちがう (chigau) corrects a mistake, so they are not interchangeable.
Did you know?
- The Japanese ううん (uun) with a falling tone means "no", but うん (un) with a short tone means "yes", so the sounds must be heard clearly.
Examples in context
- ううん、行かない。Uun, ikanai.No, I am not going.
- いや、それはちがう。Iya, sore wa chigau.No, that is wrong.
- やだ、食べたくない。Yada, tabetakunai.No, I do not want to eat.
Example conversation
Brother and sister, Tsuyoshi and Emi, talk at home.
- Tsuyoshiお菓子、食べる？Okashi, taberu?Want a snack?
- Emiううん、いらない。Uun, iranai.No, I do not need one.
- Tsuyoshiそっか。Sokka.I see.
