Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| あのう | anō | [a̠no̞ː] (narrow) |
| えー | ē | |
| うーん | ūn |
These expressions are used as fillers to signal hesitation, pause during a conversation or to get someone's attention. While あのう and えー function as conversational pauses, うーん is specifically used to show that you are deep in thought or hesitating while making a decision. You can also use the form えーと when you are actively searching for a specific word or a piece of information.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ primarily by their intent and level of politeness. あのう is used to politely signal a hesitation or to get someone's attention. えー is a more casual filler used during a pause in thought and often sounds less intentional than あのう. うーん differs from the others because it signals deep thinking or a decision-making process rather than just acting as a general conversational filler.
How do you pronounce it?
anō
Did you know?
- Depending on the length and pitch of the vowel, うーん can shift from meaning 'I am thinking' to 'I disagree' or 'No' without using any other words.
- In Japanese, a filler like あのう can function as a 'politeness shield', softening the impact of a request or a refusal so you do not sound too blunt.
- The filler えー is often used by Japanese news anchors and professional speakers to bridge sentences, despite it being a casual sound in everyday life.
Examples in context
- えーと、俺はこのしゃぶしゃぶで。Uh, I'll have the shabu-shabu.This sentence is useful for seeing how えー is used when starting a sentence to order food.Tatoeba #10993176 by small_snow, translation #12600504 by urro
- 「トムのことどう思った？」「声はかっこいいよね」「声だけ？」「顔は別にって感じじゃない？」「えー、私はかっこいいと思うけどなあ」"What do you think of Tom?" "His voice is cool isn't it" "Just his voice?" "Don't you think his face is just normal?" "Uh- I think it's cool though."This sentence shows how えー can be used to express a hesitant or contradicting thought in conversation.Tatoeba #4751945 by tommy_san, translation #4795802 by Asadamcan
- あの、すみませんが、ちょっと考えさせてください。Umm, excuse me, but could you give me a moment to think?
- えーと、お答えする前に、少し考えさせてください。Well, before answering, please let me think for a bit.
- あのさ、ちょっと待って、考えさせてよ。Uh, wait a sec, let me think.
- えー、今ちょっと考えてるんだけど。Umm, I'm thinking about it right now.
- あのう、ちょっとよろしいですか？Anou, chotto yoroshii desu ka?Uh, do you have a moment?
Example conversation
Himari is trying to ask Kenta a difficult question.
- 陽葵 Himariあのう、健太くん、質問してもいい？Anou, Kenta-kun, shitsumon shite mo ii?Uh, Kenta, can I ask you a question?
- 健太 Kentaいいよ、どうしたの？Ii yo, doushita no?Sure, what is it?
- 陽葵 Himariあのう、明日の予定はどうなってる？Anou, ashita no yotei wa dou natteru?Uh, what are the plans for tomorrow?
- 健太 Kentaあ、まだ決まってないんだ。A, mada kimatte nai nda.Ah, I haven't decided yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uh” translations and entries あのう, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
