Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| いいえ | iie | [iːe̞] (narrow) | polite |
| いえ | ie | polite | |
| ううん | u'un | [m̩ː˦˨˦] (narrow) [ɯ̟̃ᵝː˦˨˦] (narrow) |
informal |
| 違う | chigau | [t͡ɕiɡa̠ɯ̟] (narrow) [ta̠ɡa̠ɯ̟] (narrow) |
|
| いや | iya | [ija̠] (narrow) |
Japanese offers various ways to express negation or disagreement. You can use いいえ or いえ for polite negation, while ううん is the standard way to say no among friends and family. For a straightforward, casual way to say no, use いや. If you need to correct someone by implying that the information they provided is incorrect or different from the truth, use 違う.
Which one should you use?
While いいえ is a direct negation of a question, 違う is used to correct a statement by implying the information provided is incorrect or different from the truth.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The polite forms for saying no are いいえ and いえ, which are appropriate when speaking to strangers, superiors or in formal settings. In informal settings, you should use ううん with friends and family or いや for a straightforward, casual negation.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Related to these terms are forms used to indicate that something is 'not any', such as 無い, ない or ありません. Additionally, the negating expressions しない and ません are used to express a negation of an action.
How do you pronounce it?
iie
When do people say it?
When declining an offer or invitation politely, you can use the phrase 結構です, which means "I'm fine". If you wish to express regret or discomfort when declining a request politely, you can use the phrase 恐れ入りますが, meaning "I'm afraid".
Did you know?
- Japanese speakers may nod their head while saying いいえ or ううん if they are listening and acknowledging the other person's point, even if they are disagreeing.
- When someone praises a Japanese speaker, the standard response is often いいえ, even if the praise is true. This is used to show modesty by denying the compliment.
- The word 違う literally translates to 'to cross paths' or 'to diverge from the road'.
Examples in context
- いや、全然。No, not at all.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of いや.Tatoeba #1838410 by small_snow, translation #880484 by CK
- 違うってば。I said no.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 違う.Tatoeba #3488053 by arnab, translation #2405884 by CK
- いえ、結構です。No, thank you.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of いえ.Tatoeba #229316 by bunbuku, translation #31390 by CK
- 232 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki asks Ren if he has finished his homework.
- 美咲 Misaki宿題はもう終わりましたか？Shukudai wa mou owarimashita ka?Have you finished your homework already?
- 蓮 Renいいえ、まだ終わっていません。Iie, mada owatte imasen.No, I haven't finished yet.
- 美咲 Misaki大変ですね。手伝いましょうか？Taihen desu ne. Tetsudaimashou ka?That's tough. Shall I help you?
- 蓮 Renいいえ、大丈夫です。ありがとうございます。Iie, daijoubu desu. Arigatou gozaimasu.No, I'm okay. Thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations and entries いいえ, いえ, ううん, 違う, いや, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries いいえ, いえ, 違う, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
