やったー
yattā
The English phrase "yippee" is translated into Japanese as やったー (yattā).
やったー is used to express excitement or joy, specifically when something good happens unexpectedly or when a goal is successfully achieved. It is a common way to celebrate achievements or happy events.
Meaning: ''used to express excitement or joy (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is the past tense of the verb yaru (to do), so it literally means "did/done", as in "I did it" or "it happened".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
やったー is an informal expression. It is typically used among friends, family or even to oneself, but it is not suitable for formal business settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The long vowel at the end, indicated by the dash ー, is used to extend the sound to emphasize the emotional outburst of joy.
How do you pronounce it?
yattā
Did you know?
- Because it is the past tense of 'to do', やったー can also be used sarcastically to mean 'oh great' when something mildly annoying happens, similar to the English 'great, just what I needed'.
- While やったー is used for joy, the verb it comes from, やる (yaru), can also be used to describe giving something to a pet or a plant. This creates a linguistic link between 'doing something' and 'providing care'.
- Although やったー is an outburst, in scripted media like anime, it is often written in katakana ヤッター instead of hiragana. This visual shift signals that the word is being used as a sound effect or a scream rather than a spoken sentence.
Examples in context
- やったー！テストが終わった！Yattā! Tesuto ga owatta!Yippee! The test is over!
- やったー、ケーキが届いたよ。Yattā, kēki ga todoita yo.Yippee, the cake has arrived.
- やったー！欲しかった靴を買えた。Yattā! Hoshikatta kutsu o kaeta.Yippee! I bought the shoes I wanted.
Example conversation
Two siblings are in the living room after hearing a good news announcement.
- 陽葵 Himariやったー！明日、晴れるって！Yattā! Ashita, hareru tte!Yippee! It says it will be sunny tomorrow!
- 陽太 Yota本当？それはよかったね。Hontō? Sore wa yokatta ne.Really? That's great.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太君も一緒に公園に行こうよ。Yōta-kun mo issho ni kōen ni ikō yo.Let's go to the park together, Yota.
- 陽太 Yotaうん、行こう！Un, ikō!Yeah, let's go!
