そう
sō[so̞ː]
In Japanese, "yep" can be expressed as そう (sō). Wiktionary also lists ええ (ē).
Meaning: informal "yes" (intj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| そう | sō | [so̞ː] (narrow) |
| ええ | ē | [e̞ː] (narrow) |
The word そう is a very casual way to say "that's right" or "yep", often used when agreeing with a statement or confirming a fact.
Which one should you use?
While そう serves as a casual way to say "that's right" or "yep", it is specifically used for agreement or confirmation. Other informal ways to say "yep" include the more common and straightforward うん or the option ああ.
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn the informal そう into a polite form, add です to the end to create そうです, which means "that is so".
How do you pronounce it?
sō
Did you know?
- The expression そう may have evolved from the honorific suffix 様 (sama), which is used to show great respect to others.
- In Japanese conversation, people often say うん or そう repeatedly while the other person is still talking, not to agree with the point but to signal they are listening.
- While そう means 'yep', saying it with a rising intonation turns it into a question, そう？, meaning 'really?' or 'is that so?'
Examples in context
- そうだよ。sō da yo.That's right.
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are discussing if they should go to the park.
- 結衣 Yui今日はいい天気だね。Kyō wa ii tenki da ne.The weather is nice today, isn't it?
- 蓮 Renうん、そうだね。Un, sō da ne.Yep, it is.
- 結衣 Yui公園に行かない？Kōen ni ikanai?Do you want to go to the park?
- 蓮 Renいいよ。そうしよう！Ii yo. Sō shiyō!Sure. Let's do that!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yep” translations and entries そう, ええ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ええ, そう, CC BY-SA 4.0.
