Agreeing to something or answering in the affirmative is a necessary tool when studying a language. You can use affirmative words when you don’t have a huge German vocabulary yet to respond to someone in more detail. While ja (yes) is not a long German word, it’s still impactful in conversations. Find out several ways to say “yes” in German and consider learning how to say “no” in German as your next step.
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Using and correctly pronouncing ja in German
Using ja (yes) in German is simple, but the pronunciation can be tricky for newcomers to German. The letter “j” in German is pronounced like our letter “y” in English, so ja sounds more like “yah” than “jaw.” Otherwise, using “yes” in German is similar to how “yes” is used in English.
While ja doesn’t change its spelling in different German cases (since it’s not a noun or adjective), it can carry different meanings based on your tone while saying it. You can raise your tone for a question, keep it firm for agreement, or even hesitate to show uncertainty. If you’re working on your German accent, this is one of the most common words to practice sounding like a native.
11 other practical ways to say ‘yes’ in German
So, how do you say “yes” in German other than ja (yes)? You can seem more fluent in the language just by shaking up how you agree with someone, like the different ways to say “please” or bitte in German. Check out 11 practical ways you can say “yes” in German without the basic-sounding ja.
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1. Doch
To contradict a sentence or question that expects a “no” answer, you can say doch (yes, I do) and set the record straight.
- Du hast keinen Hunger, oder? = You’re not hungry, right?
- Doch! = Yes, I am!
2. Okay
You probably guessed the meaning of this one—and you’d be right! Okay is borrowed from English as a casual way to show agreement or acceptance.
- Willst du in den Park gehen? = Do you want to go to the park?
- Okay. = Okay.
3. Genau
Literally meaning “precisely” or “exactly,” genau is a commonly used way to show that you strongly agree with something.
- Also kann ich auch Deutsch lernen? = So, I can learn German, too?
- Genau! = Exactly!
4. Jawohl
You can say jawohl as a very formal or excited “yes.” This term is most often used in the German military to show enthusiastic agreement.
- Haben Sie das verstanden? = Did you understand that?
- Jawohl! = Yes, sir!
5. Klar
When you want to sound confident but casual, klar (sure) should be your go-to. Klar has a similar tone to “yeah” or “definitely.”
- Hilfst du mir kurz? = Can you help me for a second?
- Klar! = Sure!
6. Klingt gut
When someone suggests plans or ideas to you, you can say klingt gut to mean “sounds good.”
- Wie wäre es mit Pizza zum Abendessen? = How about we have pizza for dinner?
- Klingt gut. = Sounds good.
7. Natürlich
If something almost goes without saying, natürlich (naturally) lets them know. It’s like saying “of course” in English. This is a polite and slightly formal way of saying “yes” in German, so you might hear it from a shopkeeper when you ask about the quality of an item.
- Darf ich mich setzen? = May I sit down?
- Natürlich. = Of course.
8. Richtig
As a purely German way to confirm information or facts in an efficient manner, Germans say richtig to mean “right” or “correct.” This is a little more rigid than other forms of yes, so stick to using it in more formal or factual conversations. For instance, your deutscher Professor (German professor) might use this frequently in class.
- Delfine sind Säugetiere, nicht wahr? = Dolphins are mammals, aren’t they?
- Richtig. = Correct.
9. Selbstverständlich
Selbstverständlich directly translates to “self-evident(ly)” and is a very formal and polite version of “of course.” Due to how professional this term sounds, it’s best to limit its use to professional or highly formal conversations.
- Könnten Sie mir helfen? = Could you help me?
- Selbstverständlich. = Certainly.
10. Sicher
Meaning “sure” or “certain,” sicher can be used to express your firm yet calm agreement.
- Kann ich dich später anrufen? = Can I call you later?
- Sicher. = Sure.
11. Stimmt
A good neutral way to agree with opinions, facts, and assessments is stimmt (true, is correct). It doesn’t come across as too formal or informal, making it great for a wide variety of contexts. Sometimes you may hear it as das stimmt, which means “that’s true.”
- Das Wetter ist heute echt schön. = The weather is really nice today.
- Stimmt. = True.
Learn how to say ‘yes’ in different German dialects
There are hundreds of German dialects to explore! See a sample of how other dialects of German say “yes” in the table below.
| German | English Translation | German Dialect/Region |
| aja | casual “yeah” or “yep” | Austro-Bavarian |
| ei jo | yep/well yes | Hessisch (Hessian) |
| fei scho | yes indeed/definitely | Fränkisch (Franconian) |
| freilich | certainly | Bairisch (Bavarian) |
| ja, freili | sure/of course | Alemannisch (Alemannic) |
| jo | casual “yeah” or “yep” | Swabian and Low German |
| joho | strong “yes” | Pfälzisch (Palatine) |
| klaro | Sure thing! | Ruhrdeutsch (Ruhrpott slang) |
| na logo | Of course! (informal) | Berlinerisch (Berlin Dialect) |
| nu | reluctant agreement | Sächsisch (Saxon) |
Branching out from simple terms like ja (yes) is a time-saving way to learn German and come across more naturally to native speakers. If you’re a fan of easy ways to learn how to sound more fluent in German, consider Rosetta Stone Live Lessons to meet your language goals.
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