Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| はい | hai | [ha̠i] (narrow) | polite |
| ええ | ē | [e̞ː] (narrow) | |
| うん | un | /m̩/ | informal |
The various forms of "yes" are used to indicate agreement, acceptance or to confirm information. While はい is the standard way to say "yes", it is also used to signal that you are listening and acknowledging what a speaker is saying. For confirming specific information, you can use the phrase はい、そうです, which means "yes, that's right".
Which one should you use?
The forms differ primarily by their level of politeness and conversational tone. はい is the standard polite form, while ええ is a more relaxed, conversational form. うん is a casual way to express agreement.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
はい is the standard polite way to say "yes" and is appropriate when speaking to teachers, bosses or strangers. ええ is a colloquial form that sits between the politeness of はい and the informality of うん. うん is an informal and archaic term commonly used among friends or family members.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
hai
Did you know?
- Using はい in response to a question does not always mean 'I agree', but can simply mean 'I understand what you said', even if the speaker disagrees with the statement.
- The casual 'yes', うん, is thought to originate from the onomatopoeic sound of someone grunting during physical exertion.
- In very formal settings, a Japanese speaker might avoid saying はい entirely and instead use a deep bow to signal their agreement or acceptance.
Examples in context
- ええ、喜んで。Yes, I'll be glad to.This example shows how to use ええ to express willingness.Tatoeba #228005 by small_snow, translation #13086546 by terrywallwork
- はい。喜んで。Yes, with pleasure.This example shows how to use はい to express willingness.Tatoeba #9994238 by small_snow, translation #2130380 by AlanF_US
- うん。欲しい！Yes, I want it!This example shows how to use うん to express desire.Tatoeba #11795631 by small_snow, translation #10743205 by ddnktr
- 193 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren is asking Misaki if she has finished her homework.
- 蓮 Ren宿題はもう終わりましたか。Shukudai wa mou owarimashita ka.Did you already finish your homework?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、終わりました。Hai, owarimashita.Yes, I finished it.
- 蓮 Renそれは良かったです。Sore wa yokatta desu.That's good.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes” translations and entries はい, ええ, うん, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries うん, ええ, はい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
