やばい
yabai[ja̠ba̠i]
The phrase "this is bad" in Japanese is translated as やばい (yabai).
やばい is a versatile slang term. While it can mean "this is bad" or "dangerous," in modern Japanese it is frequently used as an intensive to mean something is "amazing," "incredible," or "crazy" (either in a good or bad way).
Which one should you use?
Depending on the context and tone, you might use different expressions. Use これはダメだ for a casual way to say "this is bad" among friends or peers. Use これはひどい when something is morally wrong, unacceptable or carries strong emotional weight. For a formal way to say "this is bad," use これは悪いです.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
やばい is a colloquial term. You can make it polite enough for most daily social situations by adding desu to the end, forming やばいです. Use これはダメだ for informal situations with friends, and これは悪いです for formal settings.
How do you pronounce it?
yabai
Did you know?
- The slang term やばい has a dark history as a warning used by criminals to signal that the police were approaching.
- The word やばい is so pervasive in youth culture that it is often used as a filler word, similar to 'like' or 'totally' in English, when the speaker cannot find a specific adjective.
- In extremely casual speech, やばい is often shortened to やば to express a sudden feeling of shock or realization.
Examples in context
- これはダメだ。イベントが中止になりそうだよThis is bad. It looks like the event might get cancelled.
- これはひどい！友達を騙したなんて信じられないThis is terrible! I can't believe you deceived your friend.
- あ、やばい！A, yabai!Oh, this is bad!
- 明日のテスト、やばいかも。Ashita no tesuto, yabai kamo.Tomorrow's test might be bad.
- この状況は、ちょっとやばいね。Kono joukyou wa, chotto yabai ne.This situation is a bit bad, isn't it?
Example conversation
Two friends realize they forgot their wallets at a cafe.
- 大翔 Hiroto財布を忘れた。やばい！Saifu o wasureta. Yabai!I forgot my wallet. This is bad!
- 美咲 Misaki本当に？私もやばいかも。Hontou ni? Watashi mo yabai kamo.Really? I might be in a bad spot too.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲、大丈夫？Misaki, daijoubu?Misaki, are you okay?
- 美咲 Misakiううん、やばい状況だよ。Uun, yabai joukyou da yo.No, it's a bad situation.
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.
