ja
/jɑː/
The English word 'yes' is translated into Swedish as ja.
ja is a particle used to indicate agreement or acceptance. It can also function as a noun meaning an answer that shows agreement or acceptance. In certain contexts, it can also serve as an interjection to express pleasure, joy or great excitement.
Meaning: word used to indicate agreement or acceptance (particle)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/jɑː/
When do people say it?
When accepting an offer, it is natural to combine the affirmation with 'tack' (thanks) to say Ja tack. If you are declining an offer politely, you would use the opposite phrase Nej tack.
Did you know?
- Swedish speakers often use jo instead of ja to answer 'yes' specifically when contradicting a previous negative statement or question.
- Depending on the pitch and melody, a Swedish ja can actually mean 'no' or signal doubt, especially when the voice trails off or drops in tone.
- The word ja shares a common ancestor with the English word 'yea', both stemming from the same Proto-Germanic root.
Examples in context
- Varför sa du ja?Why did you say yes?Tatoeba #4326105 by richke, translation #3818360 by CK
- Ja, jag är gift.Yes, I am married.Tatoeba #11230933 by Pineapple, translation #773378 by marloncori
- Vi säger bara ja.Let's just say yes.Tatoeba #3717228 by herrsilen, translation #2007783 by CK
- Ja! Så vackert!Yes! So beautiful!
- Ja, absolut!yes, absolutely
- Jepp, det är grymt!Yep, it's awesome!
- Jajamen, det är klart!Yes, of course!
- Absolut! Inga problem!Absolutely! No problem!
- Ja, verkligen!Yes, absolutely!
- Jepp, jag håller med!Yep, I agree!
- 39 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- LucasVill du ha pizza ikväll?Do you want pizza tonight?
- EmmaJa, det låter gott.Yes, that sounds good.
- LucasSka vi beställa nu?Shall we order now?
- EmmaJa, gärna.Yes, gladly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes” translations and entries ja, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ja, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
