Ja
standard
In Flemish "yes" is Ja, the same word as in standard Dutch. For a stronger yes you can say jawel or zeker.
Meaning: affirmative answer (adverb)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | Note |
|---|---|
| Ja | standard |
| Jawel | emphatic |
| Zeker | sure |
Ja is the normal answer. Jawel is mostly used to agree after a negative statement, like answering Je komt toch niet? with Jawel, ik kom.
Which one should you use?
Zeker means "certainly" and is used to confirm firmly. Flemish and Dutch share these forms. What changes in Flanders is mainly pronunciation and the rest of the vocabulary.
How do you pronounce it?
Ja starts with a "y" sound and has a long "a", like "yah".
Did you know?
- Dutch has the special answer jawel for contradicting a negative question, which English covers with a stressed "yes".
Examples in context
- Ja, graag.Yes, please.
- Jawel, dat klopt.Yes indeed, that is right.
Example conversation
Hilde asks her neighbor Dirk in Bruges whether he can take in a parcel.
- HildeBen je morgen thuis?Are you home tomorrow?
- DirkJa, de hele dag.Yes, all day.
- HildeKan je dan een pakje aannemen?Can you take in a parcel then?
- DirkZeker, geen probleem.Sure, no problem.
