Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 嗯 | ǹg |
| 是啊 | shì a |
| 對啊 / 对啊 | duì a |
| 啊 | à |
These terms are used to express agreement or affirmation. The form 嗯 is a very casual, low-effort way to say "yeah" or "mm-hmm" in spoken conversation. The word 对 means "correct" or "right" and can be used to express agreement in both formal and informal settings.
Which one should you use?
While many forms express agreement, 對啊 is specifically used when you are agreeing with someone's point of view or a logical conclusion. The particle 啊 is attached to the end of 是 or 对 to soften the tone and make the expression sound more natural and conversational.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 嗯 is informal, similar to saying "uh-huh" or "mmm" in English. The repeated form 嗯嗯 is also an informal way to express agreement. In contrast, 对 can be used in both formal and informal situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle 啊 functions as a suffix that can be attached to the end of 是 or 对 to soften the tone of the affirmation.
How do you pronounce it?
ǹg
Did you know?
- In texting, Chinese speakers often use the number '666' to express a version of 'yeah' or 'yes' that specifically means 'that is amazing' or 'well played'.
- In text messaging, repeating the particle as 嗯嗯 is much more common than a single 嗯, as the single version can sometimes come across as cold or dismissive to the recipient.
- Depending on the vowel of the preceding word, the sound of 啊 physically changes to 'ya', 'wa', or 'na' to make the transition smoother.
Examples in context
- Tatoeba:聽過句子打架嗎？是啊，那是我們為好玩做的。Tatoeba: Ever heard of sentence fights? Yeah, that's what we do for fun.This sentence uses 是啊 to affirm a statement about doing something for fun.Tatoeba #808591 by Martha, translation #478036 by saeb
- 嗯 。Yeah.This sentence uses 嗯 as a simple affirmation.Tatoeba #13205161 by atitarev, translation #10136269 by espamatics
- 嗯，我知道了。èn, wǒ zhīdào le.Yeah, I got it.
Example conversation
Yuting and Wei are discussing a movie.
- 雨婷 Yuting这部电影很感人，对吧？Zhè bù diànyǐng hěn gǎnrén, duì ba?This movie is very touching, right?
- 伟 Wei嗯，我也这么觉得。En, wǒ yě zhème juéde.Yeah, I think so too.
- 雨婷 Yuting我们要再去一次吗？Wǒmen yào zài qù yīcì ma?Should we go again?
- 伟 Wei好啊，没问题。Hǎo a, méi wèntí.Sure, no problem.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yeah” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
