いいえ
iiepolite
In hiragana, "no" is いいえ (iie). With friends you can say ううん (ūn), and いや (iya) is a firmer, more personal "no".
Meaning: no (interjection)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| いいえ | iie | polite |
| ううん | ūn | casual |
| いや | iya | casual, strong |
Japanese speakers often avoid a direct "no". Instead they say ちょっと… (chotto), "it is a bit difficult", or むずかしいです (muzukashii desu).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
いいえ (iie) is polite and safe in most settings. ううん (ūn) is soft and friendly. いや (iya) can sound strong, as in "I do not want that", so be careful when using it with people you do not know.
How do you pronounce it?
Say いいえ as "ee-eh", with each vowel clear. ううん is a low, short sound close to "uun".
What mistakes should you avoid?
To correct someone politely, use ちがいます (chigaimasu), "that is not right", instead of just いいえ.
Did you know?
- いいえ (iie) is also used to answer ありがとう (arigatō) with the meaning "you are welcome", as in いいえ、どういたしまして (iie, dō itashimashite).
Examples in context
- いいえ、けっこうです。Iie, kekkō desu.No, thank you.
- ううん、ちがうよ。Ūn, chigau yo.No, that is not it.
- いや、それは いやだ。Iya, sore wa iya da.No, I do not like that.
Example conversation
Kei offers his seat to Mrs. Abe on the train.
- Keiどうぞ、おかけください。Dōzo, okake kudasai.Please have a seat.
- Mrs. Abeいいえ、だいじょうぶです。Iie, daijōbu desu.No, I am fine.
- Keiそうですか。Sō desu ka.I see.
