Japanese - Yes/No Responses

Lesson 21 of 168

A friendly cafe scene showing two people offering and declining drinks in Japanese — the lesson topic is simple yes/no responses in Japanese.

Goal: Short polite answers for everyday offers and questions

Free Japanese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome! This quick lesson gives you the small, powerful replies you'll use all the time. Repeat after the phrases, listen in the mini-dialogue, then try the practice questions — easy and useful.

Level A1: In Lesson 21 you'll practice simple yes/no replies and polite acceptances or declines (はい／いいえ／はい、お願いします／いいえ、けっこうです, etc.). This CEFR-aligned set is all about short, natural responses when someone asks or offers something — perfect for shops, introductions, and daily exchanges.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and say basic polite yes/no replies (はい、いいえ).
  • Accept offers politely with はい、お願いします and decline with いいえ、けっこうです。
  • Answer simple identity, habit, and action questions: はい、そうです。／いいえ、ちがいます。／はい、します。／いいえ、しません。
Close-up of polite exchange: a person offering tea in Japanese and the other replying with はい or いいえ — practice polite responses.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

はい

Hai.

Yes.

Meaning: Yes.

When to use: Use this simple, polite affirmative answer to agree with a question or accept something.

店員: 包装しますか？ 客: はい。

Ten'in: Hōsō shimasu ka? Kyaku: Hai.

Clerk: Shall I wrap it? Customer: Yes.
先生: 準備はいいですか？ 学生: はい。

Sensei: Junbi wa ii desu ka? Gakusei: Hai.

Teacher: Ready? Student: Yes.

いいえ

Iie.

No.

Meaning: No.

When to use: Use this polite negative answer to say no to a question or offer.

友だち: 手伝おうか？ 私: いいえ。大丈夫です。

Tomodachi: Tetsudao u ka? Watashi: Iie. Daijōbu desu.

Friend: Shall I help? Me: No. I'm fine.
店員: 領収書は要りますか？ 客: いいえ。

Ten'in: Ryōshūsho wa irimasu ka? Kyaku: Iie.

Clerk: Do you need a receipt? Customer: No.

はい、お願いします。

Hai, onegai shimasu.

Yes, please.

Meaning: Yes, please.

When to use: Accept an offer politely or ask someone to do something for you.

店員: 温めますか？ 客: はい、お願いします。

Ten'in: Atatamemasu ka? Kyaku: Hai, onegai shimasu.

Clerk: Shall I heat it? Customer: Yes, please.
友だち: 写真を撮りましょうか？ あなた: はい、お願いします。

Tomodachi: Shashin o torimashō ka? Anata: Hai, onegai shimasu.

Friend: Shall I take a photo? You: Yes, please.

いいえ、けっこうです。

Iie, kekkō desu.

No, thank you.

Meaning: No, thank you.

When to use: Politely decline an offer or help without sounding rude.

Tip: Beginners sometimes say just いいえ and sound blunt; add けっこうです to be polite.

店員: 試着なさいますか？ 客: いいえ、けっこうです。

Ten'in: Shichaku nasaimasu ka? Kyaku: Iie, kekkō desu.

Clerk: Would you like to try it on? Customer: No, thank you.
友だち: デザート食べる？ 私: いいえ、けっこうです。

Tomodachi: Dezāto taberu? Watashi: Iie, kekkō desu.

Friend: Want dessert? Me: No, thank you.

いいですよ

Ii desu yo.

Sure.

Meaning: Sure.

When to use: Agree to a request or give permission in a polite but friendly way.

同僚: このファイル使ってもいいですか？ あなた: いいですよ。

Dōryō: Kono fairu tsukattemo ii desu ka? Anata: Ii desu yo.

Colleague: Can I use this file? You: Sure.
先生: ドアを閉めてください。 学生: はい、いいですよ。

Sensei: Doa o shimete kudasai. Gakusei: Hai, ii desu yo.

Teacher: Please close the door. Student: Okay, sure.

はい、そうです。

Hai, sō desu.

Yes, I am.

Meaning: Yes, I am.

When to use: Confirm your identity, role, or status politely when asked.

相手: あなたは山田さんですか？ あなた: はい、そうです。

Aite: Anata wa Yamada-san desu ka? Anata: Hai, sō desu.

Other: Are you Mr. Yamada? You: Yes, I am.
人事: 学生ですか？ 学生: はい、そうです。

Jinji: Gakusei desu ka? Gakusei: Hai, sō desu.

HR: Are you a student? Student: Yes, I am.

いいえ、ちがいます。

Iie, chigaimasu.

No, I'm not.

Meaning: No, I'm not.

When to use: Politely deny an identity or correct a wrong assumption about yourself.

相手: 彼は先生ですか？ あなた: いいえ、ちがいます。

Aite: Kare wa sensei desu ka? Anata: Iie, chigaimasu.

Other: Is he a teacher? You: No, he's not.
受付: 山田さんですか？ 私: いいえ、ちがいます。

Uketsuke: Yamada-san desu ka? Watashi: Iie, chigaimasu.

Reception: Is this Mr. Yamada? Me: No, it's not.

はい、します

Hai, shimasu.

Yes, I do.

Meaning: Yes, I do.

When to use: Answer affirmatively about actions, habits, or abilities.

先生: 毎日走りますか？ 学生: はい、します。

Sensei: Mainichi hashirimasu ka? Gakusei: Hai, shimasu.

Teacher: Do you run every day? Student: Yes, I do.
友だち: ピアノを弾きますか？ あなた: はい、します。

Tomodachi: Piano o hikimasu ka? Anata: Hai, shimasu.

Friend: Do you play piano? You: Yes, I do.

いいえ、しません。

Iie, shimasen.

No, I don't.

Meaning: No, I don't.

When to use: Say you do not do an action or do not have a habit politely.

先生: タバコを吸いますか？ 学生: いいえ、しません。

Sensei: Tabako o suimasu ka? Gakusei: Iie, shimasen.

Teacher: Do you smoke? Student: No, I don't.
友だち: 毎週映画を見ますか？ 私: いいえ、しません。

Tomodachi: Maishū eiga o mimasu ka? Watashi: Iie, shimasen.

Friend: Do you watch movies every week? Me: No, I don't.

あまり

Amari…

Not really.

Meaning: Not really.

When to use: Use this short soft negative to say you don't like or do something much — often followed by more words.

Tip: Don't leave the listener confused — continue the sentence when you mean a softer negative (e.g., あまり好きじゃないです).

友だち: 寿司は好き？ 私: あまり…（好きじゃないです）。

Tomodachi: Sushi wa suki? Watashi: Amari... (suki ja nai desu).

Friend: Do you like sushi? Me: Not really (I don't like it).
相手: 運動しますか？ 私: あまり…（時間がないです）。

Aite: Undō shimasu ka? Watashi: Amari... (jikan ga nai desu).

Other: Do you exercise? Me: Not really (I don't have time).

はい

Hai.

Okay.

Meaning: Okay.

When to use: Use as a simple polite affirmation to agree or accept.

先生: 窓を閉めてください。 学生: はい。

Sensei: Mado o shimete kudasai. Gakusei: Hai.

Teacher: Please close the window. Student: Okay.
相手: じゃあ午後に会いましょう。 あなた: はい。

Aite: Jā gogo ni aimashō. Anata: Hai.

Other: Let's meet this afternoon. You: Okay.

いいですよ

Ii desu yo.

All right.

Meaning: All right.

When to use: Agree to or accept a suggestion or request politely and casually.

友だち: 一緒に行こうか？ あなた: いいですよ。

Tomodachi: Issho ni ikō ka? Anata: Ii desu yo.

Friend: Shall we go together? You: All right.
同僚: この仕事を手伝ってくれる？ あなた: いいですよ。

Dōryō: Kono shigoto o tetsudatte kureru? Anata: Ii desu yo.

Colleague: Can you help with this job? You: Sure.

そうだと思います。

Sō da to omoimasu.

I think so.

Meaning: I think so.

When to use: Give a tentative affirmative when you're not 100% sure — polite and natural.

相手: 明日は雨かな？ あなた: そうだと思います。

Aite: Ashita wa ame kana? Anata: Sō da to omoimasu.

Other: Will it rain tomorrow? You: I think so.
同僚: 彼は来ますか？ あなた: そうだと思います。

Dōryō: Kare wa kimasu ka? Anata: Sō da to omoimasu.

Colleague: Will he come? You: I think so.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

At a café when someone offers a drink

Two friends at a table using short Japanese replies like はい、お願いします and いいえ、けっこうです during a casual offer-and-reply conversation.

Does David accept the first offer of coffee?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

Anna: コーヒー、いかがですか？

Anna: Kōhī, ikaga desu ka?

Anna: Would you like some coffee?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

David: いいえ、けっこうです。

David: Iie, kekkō desu.

David: No, thank you.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

Anna: じゃあ、紅茶はどう？

Anna: Jā, kōcha wa dō?

Anna: Then how about tea?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

David: あまり…。紅茶はあまり飲みません。

David: Amari... Kōcha wa amari nomimasen.

David: Not really... I don't drink tea much.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

Anna: では水をお持ちしましょうか？

Anna: Dewa mizu o omochi shimashō ka?

Anna: Shall I bring water then?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

David: はい、お願いします。

David: Hai, onegai shimasu.

David: Yes, please.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

If someone offers to take your photo and you want them to, which is the best polite reply?

How do you politely say 'No, I'm not' when someone asks if you are a teacher?

Someone asks if you exercise every day and you do — which reply fits?

You are offered something but want to politely decline. Which phrase is most natural?

Clerk: Would you like to try that shirt on? Customer: Yes, please.

店員: そのシャツを試着しますか？ 客: ___

Teacher: Do you study Japanese every day? Student: Yes, I do.

先生: 日本語を毎日勉強しますか？ 学生: ___

Reception: Do you need breakfast? Guest: No, thank you.

受付: 朝食は必要ですか？ 客: ___

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

はい

Hai.

Okay.

Say this phrase out loud:

いいえ

Iie.

No.

Say this phrase out loud:

はい、お願いします。

Hai, onegai shimasu.

Yes, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

いいえ、けっこうです。

Iie, kekkō desu.

No, thank you.

Say this phrase out loud:

いいですよ

Ii desu yo.

All right.

Say this phrase out loud:

はい、そうです。

Hai, sō desu.

Yes, I am.

Say this phrase out loud:

いいえ、ちがいます。

Iie, chigaimasu.

No, I'm not.

Say this phrase out loud:

はい、します

Hai, shimasu.

Yes, I do.

Say this phrase out loud:

いいえ、しません。

Iie, shimasen.

No, I don't.

Say this phrase out loud:

あまり

Amari…

Not really.

Say this phrase out loud:

はい

Hai.

Okay.

Say this phrase out loud:

いいですよ

Ii desu yo.

All right.

Say this phrase out loud:

そうだと思います。

Sō da to omoimasu.

I think so.