What does the word no in japanese mean

You’d think that saying No in Japanese would be as simple as remembering a single phrase. But as Japanese has a bunch of formalities, it makes it a little more complicated.

How you say No in Japanese can change depending on who you’re speaking to. On top of that, the Japanese are very polite people, which means that they don’t often say No directly as often as you might think!

This means that there are a bunch of ways you can say No in Japanese, No politely in Japanese, or no thank you.

It’s in the Japanese culture to be polite when declining an invitation or saying no to something.

When Japanese people want to say No to something, being indirect in their response can be quite common.

For instance, if someone invites you to a party and you’re not too keen on going, in English you might say something like “No thank you, I don’t feel like going today.” And that would be that.

In Japanese however, you would say something like “Hmmm, I’m not too sure, I think that maybe… Today is no good for me. I’m sorry to be a nuisance.”

In Japanese culture, there is a great emphasis placed on considering the face of others when saying no to them.

There are plenty of ways that you can say No in Japanese. Let’s take a look so you’ll have a suitable response for when you want to say no in Japanese.

While this article is a comprehensive resource for learning all of the different ways to say “no” in Japanese, LingoDeer is a fantastic language learning app for beginner and intermediate learners to master sentence structures and expressions.

LingoDeer boasts diverse lesson styles, professional audio quality voiced by native speakers (the best I’ve encountered on any language app so far), and an engaging story component that tests your reading AND listening skills.

Let’s get started with the most literal way to say No in Japanese.

• No.
  いいえ。
  iie.

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If you’re looking for a direct, and literal translation of how to say No in Japanese, いいえ (iie) would do the job.

This phrase will show up as the No in Yes/No options on a confirmation screen of some kind.

For example, if you’re playing a video game and it asks you: “Are you sure you want to save?” You would then select いいえ if you didn’t intend to save the game.

In terms of using this phrase, you should be careful it can give off the wrong impression if you just use this phrase on its own.

If you’re looking for a way to say no to decline an invitation or refuse something, for instance, this would be the wrong phrase to use. Instead, you should use it to correct an assumption or statement.

If someone asks you if you can speak Spanish (assuming you can’t), you would say something like “No I can’t speak Spanish” in English right? It’s the same in Japanese, you would use the word いいえ, followed by a phrase such as スペイン語が喋れないです, which would translate to “No I can’t speak Spanish.”

Formality: The level of formality that you may need to use in Japanese, depends on who you’re speaking to. Sometimes, words/phrases should be completely avoided if you’re speaking to someone politely, such as a manager, teacher, or stranger.

In this case, いいえ is a polite way of saying No in Japanese, so you can use this phrase for purposes where formality is necessary.

Saying No Casually

So, how can you say No in Japanese when you’re speaking to your friends or family? There are a few phrases you can use to do this, they mirror the uses of いいえ (see above). Let’s jump in!

• No.
  ううん。
  uun.

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Casual variants of Yes and No in Japanese are particularly interesting, as they are almost not like actual words at all. Think of how we say “Uh” in English when we’re thinking.

If you take that sound and add the soft N sound to the end of it, you get something like this: uh-n. This is how you can say Yes in Japanese casually: うん (un).

Noticed the similarities yet? That’s right: No in Japanese casually is the same as Yes, but the “uh” sound is extended for a slightly longer duration.

Note that you don’t make the “uh” sound twice, but rather you just extend the duration you’re saying it a little.

When Japanese people say ううん in Japanese, they dip in tone when they reach the middle part of the words’ pronunciation, then rise again towards the end. Have a listen to the comparisons here for clarity.

Yes and No Pronunciation Difference

ううん (no) Pronunciation:

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うん (Yes) Pronunciation:

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The difference in tone makes it much easier to learn and distinguish between the two phrases. Just imagine what it would be like without the tones! Intonation and pitch accent is important in Japanese, but the number of existing tones doesn’t quite match that of the Chinese language at least!

Just like its formal counterpart いいえ (above), this phrase should be avoided when refusing things from other people.

Instead, you can use it to correct things people have said.

For example, if someone asks you if you’re a Japanese person (assuming you’re not actually one), in English you’d reply with something like “no I’m not.” In Japanese, it’s the same. You’d reply first with ううん, followed by a phrase such as 日本人じゃない, which means: “I’m not a Japanese person”.

• ううん、日本人じゃない。
  uun, nihonjin janai.
  No, I’m not a Japanese person.

Formality: As this is a casual way of saying No in Japanese, you should avoid using it with managers and teachers. you’ll find that when speaking with friends, this phrase is used a lot.

Nope in Japanese

• Nope.
  いや。
  iya.

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いや (iya) is a very casual way of saying “Nope” in Japanese.

When speaking this word, you pronounce it somewhat quickly. Its use is similar to how Nope is used in English.

Imagine if someone asks you if you had eaten the last bit of birthday cake they’d been saving, and they say something like: “Hey, was it you who ate my cake last night?” Your response in English might be something like “Nope, it wasn’t me.”

Japanese uses a similar pattern to this, and a reply might be something like いや、食べてないよ, which translates to “Nope, I didn’t eat it.”

• いや、食べてないよ。
  iya, tabetemai yo.
  Nope, I didn’t eat your cake.

You can also use the word いやだ which is a very casual way of saying “Nope, I don’t want to.”  Imagine a reluctant child being told to go to bed by their parents.

• いやだ。寝たくない。
  iyada. netakunai.
  No! I don’t wanna sleep.

Formality: As this is a very casual phrase, it’s best used with close family members or friends. If you were to use this phrase with your manager, you’d probably get fired quite quickly as it’s very informal.

How to say No Politely in Japanese

• It’s a little bit…
  ちょっと。
  chotto.

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ちょっと (chotto) is used very often in the Japanese language. It’s a super common phrase that you can use to turn down requests, or refuse something.

ちょっと (chotto) is a very indirect phrase, so it’s perfect for saying No politely in Japanese.

As mentioned earlier, it’s in the Japanese culture to be polite when turning down requests, offers or invitations, etc. Because of this, no matter the reason, Japanese people use this phrase to tell people “No,” indirectly.

In English, imagine if everyone’s response in declining your invitation to attend an event was “Ah, Uhmmm, Hmmm, today is kind of…Maybe… Yeah… I’m not too sure, if…”. Okay, maybe I exaggerated a little bit there, but by simply just saying ちょっと (chotto) you convey all of those hesitations at once.

Essentially, when you say ちょっと (chotto) to say no in Japanese, you convey an “I’m not too sure if I can make it” kind of meaning to the requester. It’s used in Japanese to help preserve face.

Formality: This phrase can actually be used in both formal and casual settings. When you want to speak politely, just be sure to add the です (desu), to the end of the sentence if it’s a noun, or use the ます ending for a verb.

Using this phrase on its own, however, will typically convey the message of No to the requester.

I Wonder in Japanese

• I wonder…
  かな。
  kana.

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Continuing from the phrase ちょっと (chotto), as explained above, you can often combine it with かな (kana). The literal translation of かな is “I wonder…” and when used in the same sentence as ちょっと, you exaggerate the sense of indirectness, and convey an “I’m not sure…” meaning.

かな is used after a verb, whereas ちょっと will come before it. Let’s take a look at an example sentence.

ちょっと…行かないかな

Remember the declining an invitation example with ちょっと earlier?  The sentence above shows an example of how you could use it. If you know that 行かない means “won’t go”, the meaning of the sentence becomes clear!

Umm… I’m not sure if I will go.

By using かな (kana) at the end of the sentence and ちょっと (chott0) at the beginning, you really emphasise the fact you don’t really want to go. Use かな (kana) when you want to say No indirectly in Japanese without hurting the other persons’ feelings.

Saying No Directly

So, what if you’re thinking that you just want to tell someone straight-up No in Japanese. Well, there are ways you can achieve this, and I’ll show you how!

• No, impossible!
  むり。
  muri.

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You can use むり (muri) when you want to up-right refuse someone. A direct translation to English would be “impossible,” and you can use it in Japanese the same way you do in English.

For instance, if someone asks you: “Hey, wanna come to my party tonight?” Muri. “Want to go out on a date with me?” Muri. “Fancy watching a movie with me later?” Muri. It’s a fantastic way you can say “no” to someone directly. Or perhaps you want to be even more direct, and tell someone “no” and to “go away” in Japanese.

Formality: I mean, you can up the formality by adding です (desu) to the end of the phrase, making it むりです (muri desu). But I’d still advise using it in formal situations, and here is why.

Imagine your manager asks you to do them a favour, and you respond with: “No, that’s impossible.” I’d expect that it probably wouldn’t go down well with most managers… So this phrase is best of being reserved for casual situations only.

No Good in Japanese

• No good.
  だめ。
  dame.

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Similarly to the above むり (muri), you can use だめ (dame) to refuse invitations.

Let’s say that you’ve ordered a pizza, and you’re really hungry and really looking forward to it. You pick up the pizza and taste the first bite, and you think: “Um, this flavour is kind of disappointing…” A very unfortunate situation indeed, a situation where one might describe the pizza as だめ (dame), meaning “no good”.

If you’re busy on a day when someone has invited you out, you could also reply with:

• 今日はだめ。
  kyou ha dame.
  Today is no good.

You may have also seen in movies or anime, where characters might scream the phrase だめ (dame). In this scenario, だめ translates to “No, stop!” or “No, that’s not allowed.”

Formality: This phrase is also a noun, so you can add です(desu) to the end of the word making it だめです (dame desu) to make it more formal.

No That’s Not It in Japanese

• No, that’s not it!/ It’s different.
  違う。
  chigau.

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違う (chigau) is used very often to say No in Japanese. You should use it in the same way as you would use いいえ (iie) and ううん (uun).

This means that you’re best off using the phrase when you’re wanting to correct someone in regards to if something is true or not. For instance, if one of your flatmates accuses you of eating their cake, you could respond with 違う！(chigau), meaning “No, that’s not it!”

• 違う、私じゃないもん。
  chigau, watashi janai mon.
  No, it wasn’t me.

You could also use this as a response to questions such as: Are you’re a native Japanese speaker?

• 違います、日本人のネイティブではありません。
  chigaimasu. nihonjin no neiteibu deha arimasen.
  That’s not right, I’m not a native Japanese speaker.

Formality: This phrase can be used in both casual, and formal situations. To make this phrase formal, you can change it to its ます form. It would become 違います (chigaimasu).

I Don’t Think So in Japanese

• No, I don’t think so.
  そう思わない。
  sou omowanai.

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This phrase directly translates to “I don’t think so” in English. You can also use it the same way as you would in English to state your opinion about a matter.

For example, if someone is gossiping about someone else, and they say to you “Hey, that girl, she’s super rude, don’t you think?” in Japanese, you could reply with a simple そう思わない (souomowanai) which would the same as saying “No, I don’t think that.”

• そう思わない。優しいと思う。
  sou omowanai. yasashii to omou.
  I don’t think so. I think she’s friendly.

Formality: This phrase is a verb, so it will need to be changed into ます (masu) form. In ます (masu) form, it becomes そう思いません (souomoimasen) which is perfect for those situations that require formality.

I Don’t Have

• No, I don’t.
  ない。
  nai.

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When someone asks you if you have something in Japanese, you’re going to need to use a specific phrase to tell them you don’t have the item. This phrase is a verb, and you can use it to tell someone that you don’t have possession of said item.

For instance, your friend asks you if you have a pen that they can borrow.  So, being the amazing friend you are, you dive into your pencil case to find a pen, only to realise that you don’t have a spare. In this case, you could respond with ない (nai). It’s the same as telling your friend “I don’t have one” in English.

• ペンがない。ごめんね。
  pen ga nai. gomen ne.
  I don’t have a pen. Sorry.

Formality; This phrase is currently in its casual form, but to up the level of politeness, you can add です (desu) to the end of the phrase.

No Thank You in Japanese Politely

Let’s take a look at some ways that you can say No Thank You in Japanese politely.

• No Thank You
  結構です。
  kekkou desu..

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This phrase is a very formal phrase in which you should use with your managers and teachers, or with strangers.

結構です (kekkou desu) is an expression that you can use to say no thank you formally. Perhaps when you go into the store, and the merchant asks if you would like to purchase any additional items, you can reply with 結構です (kekkou desu) to politely decline.

Formality: This phrase is a formal expression that you can use to politely decline something in Japanese.

No Thanks

• No Thanks.
  大丈夫。
  daijoubu.

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You can use 大丈夫 (daijoubu) to convey something very similar to 結構です (above) but much softer. For instance, when someone asks you if you’d like/need something and you want to decline them, you can say 大丈夫 (daijoubu) which conveys a kind of no thanks.

I personally often use this expression as it comes across much warmer when refusing someone.

It is very similar to “no thanks” in English and can be used the same way. Perhaps someone asks if you want to eat some of their cake, and (assuming you don’t want any cake) you could reply 大丈夫！meaning, “no that’s alright, thanks anyway”.

This is truly a fantastic phrase to use, and I catch myself using it all the time.

Formality: Just like the previous phrases, to increase its formality you can add です (desu) to the end, making it 大丈夫です (daijoubu desu).

No Thank you in Japanese Casually

• Nah thanks.
  いらない。
  iranai.

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When you’re speaking to friends, there are other phrases you can say apart from 大丈夫 (above) to say No Thanks. いらない (iranai) is a super casual phrase that you can use to say “Nah” in Japanese. When someone asks if you’d like something and you want to tell them kindly that you don’t, you can say いらない (iranai).

What’s interesting about いらない (iranai) though, is that it is actually the negative form of いる (iru), meaning “need”. This means that when you say いらない (iranai) you’re literally saying “I don’t need it”. Imagine saying you don’t need cake in English!

• ケーキを食べる？。
  ke-ki wo taberu?.
  Want some cake?

As a reply:

• ケーキをいらない。
  ke-ki wo iranai.
  Nah thanks.

Now for some dialect for you! In Kansai, they say いらん (iran) as opposed to いらない. Super casual!

• 酒いらん。
  sake iran.
  I’ll pass on the alcohol.

Formality: This is a very casual phrase that should be avoided when speaking to managers, teachers, or strangers.

No Problem in Japanese

We have our own detailed article on how to say no problem in Japanese here!

Oh No in Japanese

There are a few ways you can Oh No in Japanese, some being a little more informal than others. In this section, let’s take a look at some of the phrases!

• Oh no/Oh crap.
  しまった。
  shimatta.

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This phrase is something you can blurt out when you make a mistake, very similar to “Oh no” or “Oh Crap” in English. For instance, if you miss your train, you could say しまった (shimatta). It’s the same as English!

• Oh Shoot.
  やばい・やばー。
  yabai/yaba-.

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やばい (yabai) has many, many uses. You can use it to describe something as either crazy, sick, delicious, terrible, and many more. This phrase is incredibly informal, so it should be avoided during formal situations. It is has a very similar use to “Oh Shoot” or “Oh S**t” in English. Some Japanese people will say やばー which means the same thing, just a little more informal.

• Oops!
  うわっ！
  uw-a!

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You can use うわっー (uw-a) during situations where you make a mistake and are surprised. For instance, if you’re holding a glass, and you suddenly drop it, you might say うわっ！ (uw-a) in Japanese, or “Oops” in English.

That’s it from us today! As there are many ways to say No in Japanese, it can be difficult to select the right phrase to decline or refuse something. I hope you enjoyed your read and found some useful phrases and expressions here!

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We will be learning the basic ways to say “no” in Japanese in this lesson.

We will be talking about some cultural aspects of Japan regarding the “yes” and “no” phrases.

Let’s get started!

How do you say “no” in Japanese?

Learning the phrases to say “no” and “yes” in Japanese is essential for everyone.

Once you learn these, you can comfortably answer various yes-no questions and have smooth conversations with native speakers.

The most basic way to say “no” in the Japanese language is:

• いいえ (Iie | formal “no”)
• ううん (Uun | casual “no”)

Formal “no” in Japanese

いいえ (iie) is the most polite way to say “no” in the Japanese language. You can politely refuse something, reasonably negate someone’s words, and express the opposite feeling.

A: あなたはアメリカじんですか？(Anata wa Amerika jin desu ka? | あなたはアメリカ人ですか？)

Are you an American?

B: いいえ、オーストラリアじんです。(Iie , osutoraria jin desu. | いいえ、オーストラリア人です。)

No, I’m an Australian.

Informal “no” in Japanese

On the other hand, ううん (uun) is a more casual version. It is commonly used among children, close friends, and family members.

A: きみはニューヨークしゅっしんなの？（Kimi wa nyuuyooku shusshin nano? | 君はニューヨーク出身じゃなかったっけ？)

Aren’t you from New York?

B: ううん、ぼくはロンドンうまれだよ。(Uun, boku wa rondon umare dayo. | ううん、僕はロンドン生まれだよ。)

No, I’m originally from London.

Also, there’s an expression used between these two words, which is いえ (ie). This is also common in informal conversation.

A: きょうはおやすみ？(Kyou wa oyasumi? | 今日はお休み？)

Are you having a day off today?

B: いえ、これからしゅっきんです。(Ie, korekara shukkin desu. | いえ、これから出勤です。)

No, I’m about to leave for work now.

Interjections for Positive and Negative Responses

The words to say “yes” and “no” in the Japanese language are called かんどうし (Kandou shi | 感動詞 | Interjection) in the Japanese grammar term. And it is a one-word expression without conjugation and is usually at the beginning of a sentence.

The positive response “yes” and the negative response “no” are parts of the おうとうし (Outou shi | 応答詞 | Response Interjection) group.

こうていおうとう (Koutei Outou | 肯定応答 | Positive Response)

• はい (Hai)
• ええ (Ee)
• うん (Un), etc.

ひていおうとう (Hitei Outou | 否定応答 | Negative Response)

• いいえ (Iie | No)
• いえ (Ie)
• ううん (Uun), etc.

Interjections for saying “no” in Japanese

Below are several expressions related to saying “no” in Japanese

Standard Phrase used to say “no” in Japanese

If you’re not sure about the level of formality to use when talking to someone you just met, for example, then it is better to use standard or polite speech. Here’s how you can say “no” politely.

• いいえ (Iie | No)

Informal Phrases used to say “no” in Japanese

On the other hand, if you’re speaking with friends or people close to you, you can use informal or casual phrases instead.

There is a slight difference in written and spoken for those words above. For example, the Japanese word いや (Iya | 嫌、厭) and いな (Ina | 否) are more typical when written, and others are common when spoken.

Basically, these expressions mean all “no” in English. By using them, you can disagree with what someone just said, oppose someone’s opinion, and express your refusal.

However, repetitive phrases such as いえいえ (Ie ie) and いやいや (Iya iya) are informal ways to say “no” in Japanese. It is often considered a rude expression, so keep them in casual situations among close friends and family.

Dialogue Examples:

A: にほんははじめてですか？(Nihon wa hajimete desu ka? | 日本は初めてですか？)

Is it your first time in Japan?

B: いいえ、2かいめです。(Iie, ni kai me desu. | いいえ、2回目です。)

No, this is my second time.

A: いっしょにいく？(Issho ni iku? | 一緒に行く？)

Why don’t we go together?

B: いや、えんりょしておく。(Iya , enryo shiteoku | いや、遠慮しておく。)

Nah, I’ll pass.

A: あしたはうみにいくんだっけ？(Ashita wa umi ni iku n dakke? | 明日は海に行くんだっけ？)

Are we going to the beach tomorrow?

B: いやいや、あしたはえいがにいくってやくそくしたじゃない。(Iya iya, ashita wa eiga ni ikutte yakusoku shita janai. | いやいや、明日は映画に行くって約束したじゃない。)

No no, we promised to go to the movies tomorrow, remember?

A: わたしがわるいのか？(Watashi ga warui no ka? | 私が悪いのか？)

Am I at fault?

B: いな、もともとはかれがついたうそがげんいんだ。(Ina, motomoto wa kare ga tsuita uso ga genin da. 否、元々は彼がついた嘘が原因だ。)

No. After all, his lie caused this situation.

Does a native Japanese speaker never say “no?”

Haven’t you heard somewhere that the Japanese never say “no?” Though we have already learned several ways to say “no” in Japanese today. Then, how did they get this infamous reputation?

Actually, the idea originates in the cultural difference between Western countries and Japan.

• Japanese culture prefers showing uncertainty compared to Western when in a certain way of communication.
• Japanese speakers favor indirect expressions centered on the other party rather than themselves.
• Speaking up about their emotions and ideas in an obvious way doesn’t always suit Japanese virtue.
• Uncertain replies often imply consideration for others and good courtesy in Japanese society.

Direct Way of Saying “No” in Japanese: In Casual Conversation

While giving a response clearly and expressing one’s opinion is also important in Japanese culture, people find some phrases saying “no” too blunt or straightforward.

Yet, easy-going responses like these are the most common ways when you talk to a close friend and family.

These talks frequently start with Japanese words that express surprise, such as ああ！ (Aa | Ah! Oh!) ええ？(Ee | What? Oh! Wow!).

Direct Way of Saying “No” in Japanese: In Formal Situations

People use けいご (Keigo | 敬語 | Honorific) when they want to show their consideration and respect in Japan. The most ordinary one is the beginner-friendly way of speaking called ていねいご (Teineigo | 丁寧語 | Polite Language), and each sentence usually ends with です (Desu) or ます (Masu).

People will probably give you a clear answer, so you can easily understand “yes” or “no” by paying little attention to the context.

Indirect Way of Saying “No” in Japanese: In More Formal Situations

Replies using けいご (Keigo | 敬語 | Honorific Speech) and showing uncertainty are typical in formal and business situations.

Also, when answering higher-up or older individuals, Japanese people use additional respectful and humble speeches. The most polite way to speak in Japanese is using two types of Keigo called そんけいご (Sonkeigo | 尊敬語 | Respectful Language) and けんじょうご (Kenjougo | 謙譲語 | Humble Language).

すこしちがうのではないでしょうか？(Sukoshi chigau no de wa nai de shou ka? | 少し違うのではないでしょうか？)

Isn’t it a little different?

すこしむずかしいかもしれません。(Sukoshi muzukashii kamo shiremasen. | 少し難しいかもしれません。)

It can be a little difficult.

なるほど。そういうかんがえかたもありますね。(Naruhodo. Sou iu kangae kata mo arimasu ne. | 成程。そういう考え方もありますね。)

I see. There is also such a way of thinking.

わたしにはわかりかねます。(Watashi ni wa wakari kane masu. | 私には分かり兼ねます。)

I’m sorry, but I don’t understand.

いいえ、だいじょうぶです。(Iie, daijoubu desu. | いいえ、大丈夫です。)

No, it’s okay. It’s not necessary.

Tips for a Polite “No” in Japanese

More polite “no” expressions in business and customer service-related situations can be confusing since the context gets more complex.

Even some Japanese people can get puzzled from time to time.

So, if you become unsure about the given responses, do not hesitate to ask about the meaning behind the words.

The following expressions are examples to signify apology or regret for not being able to fulfill the other party’s wishes.

Sentence Examples:

たいへんきょうしゅくですが、おひきうけできかねます。(Taihen kyoushuku desu ga, o hikiuke deki kanemasu. | 大変恐縮ですが、お引き受けできかねます。)

We are very sorry, but we cannot accept your request.

もうしわけありませんが、こんかいはみおくらせていただきます。 (Moushiwake arimasen ga, konkai wa miokurasete itadakimasu. | 申し訳ありませんが、今回は見送らせていただきます。)

I’m terribly sorry. I’ll have to postpone this time.

Tips for using Keigo

When you are unsure about the correct politeness on each occasion, we recommend following the Keigo form used by the other party.

Dialogue Examples:

A: これはえいごでかかれていますか？(Kore wa eigo de kakarete imasu ka? | これは英語で書かれていますか？)

Is this written in English?

B: いいえ、ちがいます。ドイツごです。(Iie, chigaimasu. Doitsu go desu. いいえ、違います。ドイツ語です。)

No, it’s not. It’s in German.

A: おそれいりますが、おなまえをうかがえますか？(Osoreirimasu ga, onamae wo ukagaemasu ka? | 恐れ入りますが、お名前を伺えますか？)

Excuse me, but may I ask your name?

B: いえ、えんりょさせていただきます。(Ie, enryo sasete itadakimasu. | いえ、遠慮させていただきます。)

No, thank you.

Other indirect answers that mean “no” in Japanese

The following words and phrases don’t necessarily have negative meanings, but people often use them as an answer close to a “no” in Japan.

A definite “no”

An obscure “no”

A light surprise and “no”

Phrases that could mean “yes” and “no”

Some Japanese phrases can mean both “yes” and “no.” To understand them correctly, please pay close attention to the question sentences and answers.

“No problem” in Japanese

If you’d like to express “no problem,” “it’s fine,” or “it’s not necessary” in Japanese, this is the word that you can use.

だいじょうぶ (Daijoubu | 大丈夫)

A: けがしていませんか？ (Kega shite imasen ka? )

Aren’t you hurt?

B: はい、だいじょうぶです。(Hai, daijoubu desu. | 大丈夫です。)

No, I’m fine.

A: もっとコーヒーのむ？( Motto koohii nomu? | もっとコーヒー飲む？)

Do you want more Koohii?

B: ううん、だいじょうぶ。(Uun, daijoubu. ううん、大丈夫。)

No, thanks.

“Okay” in Japanese

If you want to say “okay,” “sounds good,” or “no, thank you” in Japanese, you can use this word.

いい (Ii |)

A: これでいい？(Kore de ii? )

Is it okay like this?

B: うん、いいよ。 (Un, iiyo. )

Yeah, it looks good.

A: べつのさいずはありますか？(Betsu no saizu wa arimasu ka? | 別のサイズはありますか？)

Do you have another size?

B: ああ、やっぱりいいです。 (Aa, yappari ii desu. ああ、やっぱりいいです。)

Oh, never mind.

“Sounds good” in Japanese

This is another variation similar to いい (ii), as mentioned in the previous example.

けっこう (Kekkou)

A: せんせい、できました！(Sensei, dekimashita! | 先生、できました！)

Professor, I did it!

B: けっこう。 (Kekkou. 結構。)

Very well.

A: もういっぱいいかがですか？ (Mou ippai ikaga desu ka? | もう一杯いかがですか？)

How about another drink?

B: いえ、けっこうです。(Ie, kekkou desu. | いえ、結構です。)

No, thank you.

Body language that means “no” in Japanese

If you don’t want to say “no” in Japanese directly, you can also express your denial and refusal using physical gestures.

• Cross arms or wrists in front of one’s chest or face
• Hold one hand upright and wave it.
• Shake one’s head horizontally.

Conclusion

Learning Japanese terms for “no,” means you get to answer yes or no questions, which makes speaking with Japanese friends a lot easier!

If you haven’t yet, how about learning how to say “yes” in Japanese next?

Saying no in Japanese is a tricky subject. The people in Japan will rarely give a direct “no” as an answer, preferring instead to give an indirect answer that conveys the message of no.
Giving someone a direct no is too disruptive in a society that values keeping the harmony at all costs. As a result, the Japanese will usually choose their words carefully, especially in business-related situations.

How to Say No in Japanese?

The exact word for no in Japanese is “いいえ (iie)”, but the Japanese actually use a wide range of expressions to avoid having to use a strong no.
For example, they could say chotto that convey the “difficulty” to answer the request.
A:「明日一緒に飲みませんか?」
B: 「ごめんなさい、明日はちょっと用事があって・・・」
A: Ashita, isshyo ni nomimasen ka?
B: Gomennasai, ashita ha chotto youji ga atte…
A: Why don’t we drink together tomorrow?
B: I am sorry, tomorrow I have some errands…
Perhaps the best way to interpret no in Japanese is to understand the different levels. We have divided them into 4 groups, starting from definite expression to the grey area of the ambiguous no in Japanese.

Learn to say more than just “no” in Japanese with our classes! Find out more about our school by filling out the form below.

«no» has a lot of uses, which is why it’s hard to really pinpoint one particular definition

One of the big ones is used in the form A-no-B, which describes B with the quality of A.

Possession is one example of this form, so «Kare no Tomodachi» means «his friend», Kare being he, Tomodachi being friend

But similarly, if you say «Tokyo no Tomodachi», chances are you’re not saying «Tokyo’s friend». Instead, you’re saying «the friend who is described using Tokyo as a qualifier», or in more plain English, «the friend who is in/from Tokyo»

It’s largely used when A and B are both nouns, but you can also use it with other words like «kara», which means from.

So something like «Ikebukuro kara no densha» means the train from Ikebukuro

But no isn’t just used in this context. It’s also used when you want to convert a verb into a noun. In English we say «I like reading». In Japanese, you would say «yomu no ga suki», where «yomu» means to read, and the «ga suki» is how we describe something that you like. You need the «no» in there to connect the two phrases together

And another common usage is that no acts as an informal and/or explanatory question particle, similar to a question mark.