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 uses different words for "no" depending on whether you are negating a statement, correcting a fact or expressing a refusal. The forms いいえ and いえ are polite ways to say no. The form ううん is used informally among friends and family. The form いや can function as an interjection to mean "no" or "well…" when starting a sentence to express hesitation or disagreement. The form 違う is specifically used to mean "no" when you are correcting a mistaken fact or statement, effectively meaning "that is wrong" or "that is different".
Which one should you use?
While いいえ is a direct way to say "no" in response to a question, 違う is used when you want to correct a mistake or a false statement.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For polite situations, use いいえ or いえ. The form ううん is the standard informal way to say "no" when speaking with friends and family. The form いや is also used informally as an interjection. In more casual situations, if you want to say "no" or "stop", you might use 駄目.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
iie
When do people say it?
Because a blunt いいえ can sometimes sound quite strong, Japanese speakers in many social situations may choose to use a polite refusal or a different phrase instead of a direct "no" to avoid sounding rude.
Did you know?
- The word 違う literally means 'to cross paths' or 'to go a different way'. It is built from the words for 'road' and 'to cross'.
- When refusing an offer, Japanese speakers often say 結構です meaning 'it is sufficient' rather than いいえ to remain polite.
- A person might shake their head and say いいえ, but in some contexts, a slight tilt of the head or a specific intake of breath can signal 'no' more strongly than the word itself.
Examples in context
- いや、全然。No, not at all.Tatoeba #1838410 by small_snow, translation #880484 by CK
- 違うってば。I said no.Tatoeba #3488053 by arnab, translation #2405884 by CK
- いえ、結構です。No, thank you.Tatoeba #229316 by bunbuku, translation #31390 by CK
- いいえ、申し訳ありませんが、忙しいので無理です。No, I'm sorry, but I'm busy, so I can't.
- 会議を中止しましょう。Let's stop the meeting.
- あ、ごめん、それはダメだよ。Oh, sorry, that's not allowed.
- やめてください、他の人が集中できないでしょう。Please stop, others won't be able to concentrate.
- 232 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are talking at the office.
- 結衣 Yui健太さんは、もうお昼を食べましたか。Kenta-san wa, mou ohiru o tabemashita ka.Kenta, have you already eaten lunch?
- 健太 Kentaいいえ、まだです。Iie, mada desu.No, not yet.
- 結衣 Yuiじゃあ、一緒にに行きませんか。Jaa, issho ni ikimasen ka.Well then, would you like to go together?
- 健太 Kentaいいですね。行きましょう。Ii desu ne. Ikimashou.That sounds good. Let's go.
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.
