Japanese - Simple Yes/No Responses

Lesson 22 of 168

A friendly office scene with two people asking quick yes/no questions in Japanese — lesson about simple yes/no responses.

Goal: Quick polite and casual answers you can use right away

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

Welcome back — short, useful phrases today! In this lesson you'll hear the core yes/no responses and practice saying them aloud. Try them, repeat them, and use them in the mini-dialogue.

Level A1: In this short lesson you'll learn and practice seven simple yes/no responses used for ability, facts, and existence: はい、できます。, いいえ、できません。, はい、そうです。, いいえ、違います。, はい、あります。, いいえ、ありません。, and the casual うん。. This CEFR-aligned lesson focuses on listening, repeating, and quick quizzes so you can answer questions naturally.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and produce short polite yes/no replies in everyday questions.
  • Use answers for ability (できます/できません), confirmation (そうです/違います), and existence (あります/ありません).
  • Feel comfortable saying both polite (はい/いいえ) and casual (うん) yes responses in context.
A close-up of a desk with a hand pointing to a schedule, showing Japanese phrases for ability and existence — lesson on simple 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、できます。

Hai, dekimasu.

Yes, I can.

Meaning: Yes, I can.

When to use: Use for ability or possibility in a polite reply. Use this when someone asks if you can do something (e.g., print, attend, help). For a specific verb you can also use the verb's potential form (行けます for “can go”).

Tip: Confusing できます with あります — できます is ability; あります is existence.

A: 手伝ってくれますか？ B: はい、できます。

A: Tetsudatte kuremasu ka? B: Hai, dekimasu.

A: Can you help? B: Yes, I can.
オンラインで参加できますか？ はい、できます。

Onrain de sanka dekimasu ka? Hai, dekimasu.

Can you join online? Yes, I can.

いいえ、できません。

Iie, dekimasen.

No, I can't.

Meaning: No, I can't.

When to use: Use to say you cannot do something. For a specific action, Japanese often uses the verb's negative potential form (行けません for “can't go”).

Tip: Don't use ありません for ability — ありません is for existence, not can/can't.

すみません、その時間は無理です。いいえ、できません。

Sumimasen, sono jikan wa muri desu. Iie, dekimasen.

Sorry, that time doesn't work. No, I can't.
A: 明日来られますか？ B: いいえ、できません。

A: Ashita koraremasu ka? B: Iie, dekimasen.

A: Can you come tomorrow? B: No, I can't.

はい、そうです。

Hai, sō desu.

Yes, it is.

Meaning: Yes, it is.

When to use: A short affirmative to confirm facts, identity, or a situation (e.g., confirming a document, an address, or that something is correct).

これは田中さんの鞄ですか？ はい、そうです。

Kore wa Tanaka-san no kaban desu ka? Hai, sō desu.

Is this Mr. Tanaka's bag? Yes, it is.
地図は最新版ですか？ はい、そうです。

Chizu wa saishin desu ka? Hai, sō desu.

Is the map the latest version? Yes, it is.

いいえ、違います。

Iie, chigaimasu.

No, it isn't.

Meaning: No, it isn't.

When to use: Use to deny or correct identification or a fact. For adjectives, beginners often repeat the adjective in negative form instead (e.g., 高くないです for “it's not expensive”).

それは私の注文ですか？ いいえ、違います。

Sore wa watashi no chūmon desu ka? Iie, chigaimasu.

Is that my order? No, it isn't.
A: ここは駅ですか？ B: いいえ、違います。

A: Koko wa eki desu ka? B: Iie, chigaimasu.

A: Is this the station? B: No, it isn't.

はい、あります。

Hai, arimasu.

Yes, there is.

Meaning: Yes, there is.

When to use: Use あります for existence of things, places, or events (e.g., 'Is there a restroom?' or 'Is there a meeting room?'). For people or animals use はい、います。

会議室にホワイトボードはありますか？ はい、あります。

Kaigishitsu ni howaitobōdo wa arimasu ka? Hai, arimasu.

Is there a whiteboard in the meeting room? Yes, there is.
店に替えのバッテリーはありますか？ はい、あります。

Mise ni kae no batterī wa arimasu ka? Hai, arimasu.

Does the shop have spare batteries? Yes, there are.

いいえ、ありません。

Iie, arimasen.

No, there isn't.

Meaning: No, there isn't.

When to use: Use ありません to say a thing, place, or event does not exist in the asked location. For people or animals use いいえ、いません。

Tip: Don't say いません for things — いません is for people/animals.

ここにATMはありますか？ いいえ、ありません。

Koko ni ATM wa arimasu ka? Iie, arimasen.

Is there an ATM here? No, there isn't.
売店に氷はありますか？ いいえ、ありません。

Baiten ni koori wa arimasu ka? Iie, arimasen.

Does the kiosk have ice? No, there isn't any.

うん

Un.

Yeah.

Meaning: Yeah.

When to use: Casual affirmative response, common among friends. In polite situations use はい instead.

Tip: Avoid うん in formal settings; it sounds casual and friendly.

A: 手伝ってくれる？ B: うん。

A: Tetsudatte kureru? B: Un.

A: Will you help me? B: Yeah.
A: 映画に行く？ B: うん、行こう。

A: Eiga ni iku? B: Un, ikō.

A: Want to go to the movies? B: Yeah, let's go.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Office conversation about documents and equipment

Two colleagues in a meeting room using short Japanese replies like はい、あります。 and いいえ、できません。

Is there a projector in the meeting room?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

これは明日の資料ですか？

Kore wa ashita no shiryou desu ka?

Is this the document for tomorrow?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

はい、そうです。

Hai, sō desu.

Yes, it is.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

ここで印刷できますか？

Koko de insatsu dekimasu ka?

Can I print here?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

いいえ、できません。

Iie, dekimasen.

No, you can't.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

会議室にプロジェクターはありますか？

Kaigishitsu ni purojekutā wa arimasu ka?

Is there a projector in the meeting room?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

はい、あります。

Hai, arimasu.

Yes, there is.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

ありがとう

Arigatō.

Thanks.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

うん

Un.

Yeah.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

How do you politely say 'No, I can't'?

Which phrase affirms that a thing exists (like a projector or map)?

Which answer politely denies identification: 'No, it isn't'?

Which is the casual 'yeah' often used with friends?

Traveler: At the front desk: 'Is there a hair dryer in the room?' Yes, there is.

旅行者：フロントで聞きます。「部屋にドライヤーはありますか？」 ___

Teacher to student: 'Can you submit this report this week?' Yes, I can.

先生が学生に聞きます：「このレポート、今週提出できますか？」 ___

Clerk: 'Is your name Satō?' Customer: 'No, that's not correct.'

店員：お名前は佐藤さんですか？ 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、できます。

Hai, dekimasu.

Yes, I can.

Say this phrase out loud:

いいえ、できません。

Iie, dekimasen.

No, I can't.

Say this phrase out loud:

はい、そうです。

Hai, sō desu.

Yes, it is.

Say this phrase out loud:

いいえ、違います。

Iie, chigaimasu.

No, it isn't.

Say this phrase out loud:

はい、あります。

Hai, arimasu.

Yes, there is.

Say this phrase out loud:

いいえ、ありません。

Iie, arimasen.

No, there isn't.

Say this phrase out loud:

うん

Un.

Yeah.