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How to Say ‘Yes.’ in Japanese

はい。

はい。

💬 Usage Tip: [はい] can mean “yes” or “I’m listening/I understand.” It doesn’t always mean you agree 100%.

🇯🇵 In Japan: In Japan, [はい] is often used as an attentive listener response, like “uh-huh,” especially in polite conversation.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

はいはい。

[hai]

yes

Polite/neutral “yes.” Used to answer questions like 「スポーツをしますか。」

Example

はい、スポーツをします。

Yes, I play sports.

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