nja
/njɑː/
The English phrase "yes and no" can be expressed in Swedish as nja or både ja och nej.
Meaning: indicating there is no simple "yes" or "no" answer (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| nja | /njɑː/ /nja/ |
| både ja och nej |
The term nja is used to indicate that there is no simple "yes" or "no" answer. It often functions as a hesitation or a filler word while a speaker is thinking of how to respond. For a direct way to say "yes", use Ja and for a straightforward "no", use Nej.
Which one should you use?
While både ja och nej is a literal way to say "both yes and no", the single word nja is a common, informal way to express that an answer is not a simple "yes" or "no".
How do you pronounce it?
/njɑː/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Nja, det är svårt att säga.Yes and no, it is hard to say.
- Nja, det beror på hur man frågar.Yes and no, it depends on how you ask.
- Nja, det är både sant och falskt.Yes and no, it is both true and false.
Example conversation
Oscar and Maja are discussing whether a certain movie was good.
- OscarVar filmen bra?Was the movie good?
- MajaNja, den var ganska konstig.Yes and no, it was quite strange.
- OscarMen gillade du den ändå?But did you like it anyway?
- MajaDet vet jag inte riktigt.I am not quite sure.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes and no” translations and entries nja, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries både, ja, nej, nja, och, CC BY-SA 4.0.
