やばい
yabai[ja̠ba̠i]
The Japanese phrase for "oh no!" is やばい (yabai).
While it can mean 'oh no!' in a negative sense, it is also used as a versatile slang term to mean 'amazing' or 'cool' in a positive sense.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form やばい is highly informal and should be avoided in professional or polite settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that something 'was' bad or 'was' crazy in the past, use the past tense form やばかった.
How do you pronounce it?
yabai
Did you know?
- The word やばい originated as underworld slang used by criminals to warn each other that the police were nearby.
- Depending on the pitch and length of the vowel, やばい can shift from a scream of terror to a sigh of admiration.
Examples in context
- あらまあ、この書類を忘れてきてしまいました。Oh no, I forgot to bring this document.
- しまった！新しいパソコンを落としてしまった。Oh no! I dropped the new computer.
- あっ、前髪を切りすぎてしまった！Oh no, I cut my bangs too short!
- まじか！今日のバスを逃しちゃった。Oh no! I missed today's bus.
- やべえ、お金を忘れてきた！Oh no, I forgot my money!
- やばい！ 遅刻する！Yabai! Chikoku suru!Oh no! I'm going to be late!
- あ、やばい。財布を忘れた。A, yabai. Saifu o wasureta.Oh no, I forgot my wallet.
- やばい、雨が降ってきた。Yabai, ame ga futte kita.Oh no, it started raining.
Example conversation
The two siblings are looking at a broken ceramic plate on the floor.
- 陽太 Yotaあ、やばい！ お皿が割れた！A, yabai! Osara ga wareta!Oh no! The plate broke!
- 陽葵 Himari陽太、大丈夫？ 怪我はない？Yota, daijoubu? Kega wa nai?Yota, are you okay? Are you hurt?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、大丈夫。でも、これお母さんに怒られる。Un, daijoubu. Demo, kore okaasan ni okorareru.Yeah, I'm fine. But, Mom is going to be mad about this.
- 陽葵 Himari本当にやばいね。一緒に片付けよう。Hontou ni yabai ne. Issho ni katazukeyou.That's really bad. Let's clean it up together.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry やばい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries やばい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
