はい
haipolite, standard
In anime, "yes" is はい (hai) when speaking politely and うん (un) with friends. A man may answer ああ (ā), a short, cool "yeah". It is also called そうだ (sō da).
Meaning: affirmative answer (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| はい | hai | polite, standard |
| うん | un | casual |
| ああ | ā | casual, masculine |
| そうだ | sō da | casual, that is right |
はい (hai) is the standard reply to teachers, bosses and strangers. うん (un) is the casual reply, and そうだ (sō da) means "that is right".
Which one should you use?
ああ (ā) is rougher and used by male characters. The reply ええ (ē) is soft and polite, often used by older or refined characters.
Did you know?
- The word はい (hai) can also mean "here" when handing someone something.
Examples in context
- はい、わかりました。Hai, wakarimashita.Yes, I understand.
- うん、行こう。Un, ikō.Yeah, let us go.
- ああ、まかせろ。Ā, makasero.Yeah, leave it to me.
Example conversation
Captain Gen gives orders to his team member Tomo.
- Gen準備はいいか？Junbi wa ii ka?Are you ready?
- Tomoはい、隊長！Hai, taichō!Yes, captain!
- Genよし、行くぞ。Yoshi, iku zo.Good, let us go.
