うん
un/m̩/
The Japanese phrase for "yes (informal)" is うん (un).
うん is an informal way to say yes or to agree with someone during a casual conversation. It is used primarily in casual settings with friends, family or people of equal or lower social status.
Which one should you use?
While うん is used for casual agreement, you should use はい when speaking to superiors, teachers or strangers to avoid sounding rude. Another informal option is そうだね, which is used to mean "that's right" or "yes".
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is un. The IPA is /m̩/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use うん when speaking to superiors, teachers or strangers, as this can sound rude. Use はい in those situations instead.
Did you know?
- If a Japanese person says うーん with a prolonged vowel, it is no longer a 'yes' but a hesitation marker similar to 'hmm' or 'let me think'.
- In casual Japanese conversation, うん is often used as a 'backchannel' sound, repeated frequently by the listener to show they are paying attention, even if they are not explicitly agreeing.
Examples in context
- うん、そうだよ。un, sou da yo.Yeah, that's right.
- うん、わかった。un, wakatta.Yeah, I got it.
- うん、いいよ。un, ii yo.Yeah, that's fine.
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- 大翔 Hirotoラーメン食べる？raamen taberu?Do you want to eat ramen?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、食べたい！un, tabetai!Yeah, I want to eat it!
- 大翔 Hirotoあそこの店にする？asoko no mise ni suru?Shall we go to that shop?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、そこにしよう。un, soko ni shiyou.Yeah, let's go there.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry うん, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries うん, CC BY-SA 4.0.
