jawohl
/jaːˈvoːl/
The German phrase for "yes, sir" is jawohl.
jawohl is used to express emphatic agreement, obedience or formal acknowledgment. It is commonly used when confirming an order or a command, particularly in military or highly hierarchical environments. Other variations include the formal Jawohl, mein Herr to express obedience and respect or Gewiss, mein Herr to mean "indeed, sir" or "assuredly, sir". In more casual settings when addressing a boss or superior, you might use the informal Ja, Chef, Klar, Chef (meaning "sure, sir"), Kein Problem, Chef (meaning "no problem, sir") or Na klar, Chef (meaning "yeah, sure, sir").
Which one should you use?
While the standard German word for yes is ja, jawohl carries a much stronger tone of emphatic agreement and obedience.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
jawohl is a formal term often perceived as highly formal or even military-style. In contrast, addressing a superior as Chef allows for more informal expressions like Ja, Chef, Klar, Chef, Kein Problem, Chef or Na klar, Chef.
How do you pronounce it?
/jaːˈvoːl/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because jawohl has a strong military or highly formal connotation, using it in casual social settings can sound sarcastic or overly dramatic.
Did you know?
- While jawohl is strict, the term Chef used in Ja, Chef is a loanword from French that has become a standard part of German workplace hierarchy.
- In certain historical German contexts, a soldier who answered ja instead of jawohl could be reprimanded for a lack of discipline.
- The word jawohl is a combination of 'ja' and 'wohl', meaning 'yes well'. It is a linguistic cousin to the Dutch word 'jawel'.
Examples in context
- Ja, Chef. Wann sollen wir beginnen?Yes, sir. When should we start?
- Klar, Chef. Ich habe sie bereits gelesen und beantwortet.Sure, sir. I have already read and replied to it.
- Jawohl, Herr Kommandant!Yes, sir, Commander!
- Ich erledige das sofort, jawohl.I will do that immediately, yes, sir.
- Jawohl, ich verstehe die Anweisung.Yes, sir, I understand the instruction.
Example conversation
A junior officer is receiving orders from his superior officer.
- HannahJulian, bringen Sie die Berichte sofort zu mir.Julian, bring the reports to me immediately.
- JulianJawohl, Herr Hauptmann.Yes, sir, Captain.
- HannahHaben Sie die Unterlagen bereits gefunden?Have you found the documents already?
- JulianJawohl, sie liegen auf Ihrem Schreibtisch.Yes, sir, they are on your desk.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry jawohl, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jawohl, CC BY-SA 4.0.
