ja
/jɑː/
The English word "yes" is translated into Swedish as ja.
The most common and straightforward way to say "yes" in Swedish is ja, which is used as a particle to indicate agreement or acceptance. It can also function as a noun meaning "an answer that shows agreement or acceptance," or as an interjection to express pleasure, joy or great excitement.
Meaning: word used to indicate agreement or acceptance (particle)
Which one should you use?
While ja is the standard affirmative, you should use jo when you want to contradict a negative statement or question. For example, you would use jo to answer "yes" to the question "You aren't coming?"
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/jɑː/
Did you know?
- The word ja can sometimes be stretched out into a long, melodic 'jaa' in Swedish to express deep empathy or to show that you are listening intently to a storyteller.
- Because Swedish is a pitch-accent language, the way you pronounce ja can change its emotional weight, turning a simple agreement into a skeptical or doubting 'yes'.
- The word ja is frequently used as a filler word, similar to 'yeah' or 'I mean', often appearing in the middle of sentences where it conveys no actual agreement.
Examples in context
- Varför sa du ja?Why did you say yes?This sentence is useful for using the noun form of ja.Tatoeba #4326105 by richke, translation #3818360 by CK
- Ja, jag är gift.Yes, I am married.This sentence shows the particle ja in a standard affirmative response.Tatoeba #11230933 by Pineapple, translation #773378 by marloncori
- Vi säger bara ja.Let's just say yes.This sentence uses the particle ja to express agreement.Tatoeba #3717228 by herrsilen, translation #2007783 by CK
- Kan du skicka mig rapporten?Can you send me the report?
- Ja, självklart.Yes, of course.
- Ska vi gå ut och äta ikväll?Shall we go out for dinner tonight?
- Japp, låter som en bra idé.Yes, sounds like a great idea.
- 39 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maja and Oscar are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- MajaVill du äta pasta ikväll?Do you want to eat pasta tonight?
- OscarJa, det låter jättebra!Yes, that sounds great!
- MajaKan du hjälpa mig att laga den?Can you help me cook it?
- OscarJa, självklart kan jag det.Yes, of course I can.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes” translations and entries ja, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
