はい、もちろんです
hai, mochiron desu
The Japanese phrase for "yes, of course" is はい、もちろんです (hai, mochiron desu).
This phrase is a polite way to provide strong agreement or to grant permission when someone asks you for something. While hai translates to "yes", the full phrase mochiron desu carries the weight of the agreement, making it much more emphatic than simply saying hai.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase もちろんです breaks down into mochiron, which means "certainly" or "of course" and desu, which is the polite copula meaning "to be".
Which one should you use?
In contrast, Ee, mochiron! can be used to say "Yeah, of course!" in a casual manner and Un, zehi. is an informal way to say "Yeah, definitely."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
はい、もちろんです is used in formal situations. Adding desu to mochiron makes the phrase polite and suitable for professional settings or when speaking to superiors. Conversely, Ee, mochiron! and Un, zehi. are informal versions intended for use among friends.
How do you pronounce it?
hai, mochiron desu
Did you know?
- Japanese has a concept called kuuki wo yomu, or 'reading the air'. Sometimes, a polite はい is used to avoid a direct 'no' to save the other person's face, meaning it does not always signify a true 'yes'.
- While はい is translated as 'yes', in a conversation it often functions more like 'I am listening' or 'I follow you'. A person might say はい several times during a story even if they are not actually agreeing with the speaker.
- In Japanese culture, saying もちろんです can sometimes sound too assertive or arrogant if used with a superior, as it implies the answer was obvious. In very formal business settings, people often prefer かしこまりました, which means 'I have humbly understood and will comply'.
Examples in context
- はい、もちろんです。お手伝いします。Hai, mochiron desu. Otetsudai shimasu.Yes, of course. I will help you.
- はい、もちろんです。いいですよ。Hai, mochiron desu. Ii desu yo.Yes, of course. That's fine.
Example conversation
At the office, Kenta asks Yui if he can borrow a pen.
- 健太 Kenta結衣さん、このペンを借りてもいいですか？Yui-san, kono pen o karitemo ii desu ka?Yui, may I borrow this pen?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、もちろんです。Hai, mochiron desu.Yes, of course.
- 健太 Kentaありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
- 結衣 Yuiいいえ、どういたしまして。Iie, douitashimashite.No, you're welcome.
