va
The Romani word for 'yes' is va. Wiktionary also lists ova and oja.
Meaning: word used to indicate agreement or acceptance (particle)
Ways to say it
| Romani |
|---|
| va |
| ova |
| oja |
| ja |
| tam |
| tàmi |
These words are particles used to indicate agreement or acceptance.
Which one should you use?
The language offers multiple forms for 'yes': va, ova, oja, ja, tam and tàmi.
Did you know?
- The word va is a linguistic cousin to words in Indo-Aryan languages, reflecting the ancient migration of the Romani people from India.
- In many Romani dialects, saying 'yes' is not just about agreement, but acts as a rhythmic 'punctuation' to prove you are following a storyteller's narrative.
- The use of different forms for 'yes' can signal which specific regional subgroup a speaker belongs to, acting almost like a linguistic fingerprint.
Examples in context
- Te si jivja, akaná va.If it's free, then yes.This sentence shows how to use va in a conditional context.Tatoeba #6697796 by Poliglotski, translation #6014388 by zumley
- O Tom haj i Mary le duj žene phende va.Both Tom and Mary said yes.This sentence demonstrates va being used to report that someone said yes.Tatoeba #6717608 by Poliglotski, translation #6525026 by CK
- Va!Yes!This shows va used as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #6690677 by Poliglotski, translation #1148358 by cntrational
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andrei asks Zora if she wants some water.
- AndreiKamis pe pani?Do you want some water?
- ZoraVa, kamas.Yes, I do.
- AndreiSoma lenda.Here it is.
- ZoraLacho tuke!Thanks to you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
