Waku Waku Japanese – Lesson 47: How to say NO!

Today we’re going to learn how to say "no!". While many may already know the simple "iie" as the translation of "no", there’s often circumstances when simply saying "no" will not suffice. So while we hope you don’t have to use these words and phrases often, they can come in handy when needed. They can be seen as somewhat strong in Japanese, so use them only in the right circumstances.

Iie – no
いいえ

Iya desu / dame desu – I dislike/disapprove
いやです／だめです

Yamete kudasai! – Please stop that!
やめてください！／やめて下さい！

Mou / Hontou ni – Really (further emphasis)
もう／ほんとうに・本当に

Mou iya desu! – I really don’t like this
もういやです！

Mou hontou ni yamete kudasai! – Really, would you please stop that!
もうほんとうにやめてください！／もう本当にやめて下さい