Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| kyllä | /ˈkylːæ/ | literary |
| joo | /ˈjoː/ | colloquial |
| juu | /ˈjuː/ | colloquial |
The primary way to indicate agreement or acceptance is using the particle kyllä. You may also encounter the related word jes!, which is an interjection used to express pleasure, joy or great excitement, similar to 'yay' or 'whoo'.
Which one should you use?
kyllä is the standard and more formal way to say yes. In casual, spoken Finnish, you will often hear the colloquial forms joo and its variant juu, which are used interchangeably to mean 'yeah'. Another informal option for expressing agreement is jep.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
kyllä is the standard form and is better suited for formal or written contexts and literary use. In everyday conversation with friends and family, the colloquial joo or juu is the most common way to say 'yeah'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
While kyllä is a particle used for agreement, it can also function as a noun meaning 'an answer that shows agreement or acceptance'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkylːæ/
Did you know?
- The formal word kyllä may have its distant roots in a Proto-Balto-Slavic word meaning 'how many' or 'some'.
- While joo and juu are interchangeable, juu is often used as a 'backchannel' signal to show the listener is following the conversation without interrupting.
- The Finnish word kyllä can function as a modifier to emphasize a statement, similar to how 'indeed' or 'certainly' is used in English.
Examples in context
- Kyllä, niin se on.Yes, it does.This sentence demonstrates the use of kyllä to confirm a statement.Tatoeba #7853215 by Thanuir, translation #5977923 by Kevre
- Kyllä, hän tekee sen.Yes, she will.This sentence shows how kyllä is used to confirm an action.Tatoeba #7853177 by Thanuir, translation #35571 by Jesse
- Olen jo sanonut kyllä.I've already said yes.This sentence illustrates using kyllä as a noun meaning 'a yes'.Tatoeba #7855364 by Thanuir, translation #5850746 by CK
- Kyllä, olen samaa mieltä.Yes, I agree.
- Todellakin, voin auttaa sinua.Indeed, I can help you.
- Joo, tulen juhliin.Yep, I'm coming to the party.
- Jep, hoidetaan se yhdessä.Yep, let's handle it together.
- 107 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A formal office meeting where a question is asked.
- JuhoOnko tämä suunnitelma hyvä?Is this plan good?
- AnnaKyllä, se on erinomainen.Yes, it is excellent.
- JuhoVoimmeko aloittaa heti?Can we start immediately?
- AnnaKyllä, voimme aloittaa.Yes, we can start.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes” translations and entries kyllä, joo, juu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries joo, juu, kyllä, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
