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2 Yes and No

Yes.

Hai.

はい。

Ee.

ええ。

Un.

うん。

There are many ways to indicate agreement in Japanese, and these are the most direct. Un and Uun (see below) are very casual and natural, and they especially should be accompanied with gestures to make yourself clear.

No.

Iie.

いいえ。

Uun.

ううん。

Iya,...

いや、…

Iya is often used before another phrase, to explain or soften the disagreement, such as Iya, betsu-ni いや、別べつに “no, not especially.”

The Japanese, following their preference for indirectness, don’t always say “yes” and “no” in the Western sense.

That’s right!

◆ Sō-dane!

そうだね！

◆ Sō-dana! ♂

そうだな！

Mā-ne!

まあね！

Mā-ne is often used to mean “I know.” If said teasingly, it means “Yeah I know (but I might not tell you).” For example: “She’s pretty, isn’t she? Do you know her?” “Maybe I know her, maybe I don’t.” (Mā-ne.)

I think so too.

Sō omou.

そう思おもう。

Sō-yo-ne. ♀

そうよね。

Sō-dayo-ne.

そうだよね。

I agree (!)

Sansei (!)

賛さん成せい(！)

So am I/Me too.

Watashi-mo. ♀

私わたしも。

Boku-mo. ♂

僕ぼくも。

I see/I got it/I understand.

Naruhodo.

なるほど。

Wakatta.

分わかった。

Aa, sō-ka.

ああ、そうか。

Sokka.

そっか。

Sō, sō...

そう、そう…

Sō, sō… in particular is often used just to mean “I’m listening to you and understanding what you’re saying.” You’ll soon pick up from the speech patterns of those around when they’re questioning you with a variant of so and when they’re just letting you know they’re listening.

All right, that’s OK.

Okkē.

オッケー。

Daijōbu(-dayo).

大だい丈じょう夫ぶ (だよ)。

No problem.

Mondai nai-yo.

問もん題だいないよ。

Colorful conversations can be created by injecting more than just a “yes” or “no.” Study the following words and phrases. They can be voiced inquisitively or doubtfully, depending upon your tone of voice.

Really?

Hontō?

本ほん当とう？

Hontō-ni?

本ほん当とうに？

Maji-de?

マジで？

Maji?

マジ？

Uso/Ussō?

うそ？／うっそー？

Is that so?

Sō-nano?

そうなの？

Sō?

そう？

This has to be the most overused phrase in Japanese! Again, sometimes it just means “I’m listening to you” and sometimes it’s used to ask for clarification etc. Non-verbal cues will tell you!

Did you/Do you/Are you?

Sō-nano?

そうなの？

Yeah, I know (groaned).

Sō-nanda-yo-nē.

そうなんだよねえ。

For example: “Your car is no good!” Kono kuruma-wa dame! この車くるまはだめ！ “Yeah, I know.” Sō-nanda-yo-nē.

He/She/It seemed like one/that.

Sō-mieta-yo.

そう見みえたよ。

I guess so.

Sō-da-to omou.

そうだと思おもう。

Sō-dane.

そうだね。

It might be true.

Sō-kamo-ne.

そうかもね。

Maybe.

Tabun-ne.

多た分ぶんね。

Maybe not.

Chigaun-ja nai-(no).

違ちがうんじゃない（の）。

That’s not right.

Son’na-koto nai-yo.

そんな事ことないよ。

I wonder...

Sō-ka-nā...

そうかなあ…

I don’t think so/I doubt it.

Sō omowanai.

そう思おもわない。

I’m not sure.

Yoku wakaranai.

よく分わからない。

There’s no way of knowing.

Wakaru-wake nai-yo.

分わかる訳わけないよ。

I can’t say for sure.

Nan-to-mo ienai.

何なんとも言いえない。

Hakkiri ienai.

はっきり言いえない。

Because...

Datte...

だって…

Datte is usually followed by an explanation.

But...

Demo...

でも…

Usually followed by an explanation or a contradiction, such as “but, that’s wrong.” Demo chigau-yo. でも、違ちがうよ。

Here are some handy phrases for when you want to put questions back to the other speaker.

How come?

Nan-de?

何なんで？

Dō shite?

どうして？

Dō shite-dayo?

どうしてだよ？

What do you mean?

Dō-iu imi?

どういう意い味み？

Is something wrong/different? (because you seem different)

Kanji-ga chigau-yo-ne.

感かんじが違ちがうよね?

Kanji-ga chigaun-dakedo.

感かんじが違ちがうんだけど?

You can ask this when the other person seems a bit different (e.g. from the last time you saw them).

(Anoko,) Nan-ka chigau-ne?

(あの子、)何なんか違ちがうね？

This is useful when a third person seems a bit different. Anoko means “That (young) person over there.”

Nan-ka chigau-no?

何なんか違ちがうの？

This is more suited to asking about things, not people.

What’s the difference?

Dō chigau-no?

どう違ちがうの？

What?

Nani?

何なに？

E?

え？

Why not?

Nan-de (dame-nano)?

何なんで（だめなの）？

Nan-de dame-nanda-yo? ♂

何なんでだめなんだよ？

Are you serious?

Honki?

本ほん気き？

Are you sure?

Hontō-ni?

本ほん当とうに？

Zettai?

絶ぜっ対たい？

Zettai? is a much more emphatic way to ask. Hontō-ni? is a safer bet in most situations. Clip the final ni for more emphasis.

You don’t mean it? (You’re joking?)

Jōdan-desho?

冗じょう談だんでしょ？

Jōdan-darō? ♂

冗じょう談だんだろう？

But, of course, there are times when you want to make your point forcefully. Here are some words and phrases that will help you make a bigger impact. Just be careful with the negative ones!

Absolutely!

Zettai!

絶ぜっ対たい！

Definitely!

Hontō-ni!

本ほん当とうに！

Hontō-ni sō-dayo-ne!

本ほん当とうにそうだよね！

Hontō-ni sō-dayo-na! ♂

本ほん当とうにそうだよな！

Maji-de.

マジで。

When using Majide to mean “Definitely,” you can lengthen the final e sound, but don’t raise the intonation (as with “Really?”)

Of course!

Atarimae-deshō!

当あたり前まえでしょう！

Atarimae-dayo! ♂

当あたり前まえだよ！

Used in the sense of “That goes without saying!”

Mochiron!

もちろん！

Usually used as an answer to a question.

You better believe it!

Hontō-datte!

本ほん当とうだって！

Hontō-dayo!

本ほん当とうだよ！

That’s it!

Sō-yo!

そうよ！

Sore-yo! ♀

それよ！