Translation guide
Expressing agreement or consent in Japanese, ranging from formal acknowledgment to casual approval.
To formally agree to a proposal, plan, or request, often in business or official contexts.
Formal consent or acceptance, commonly used in contracts, applications, and official agreements.
彼はその条件を承諾した。
He assented to the conditions.
Agreement or consent, slightly less formal than 承諾, used in both personal and professional settings.
彼女の提案に同意します。
I assent to her proposal.
Approval or support for an idea, often used in voting or expressing agreement with a plan.
その計画に賛成ですか？
Do you assent to the plan?
To agree with someone's opinion or suggestion in informal conversation.
A common phrase meaning 'That's right' or 'I agree', used to show assent in daily chat.
A: この映画、面白いね。B: そうですね。
A: This movie is interesting, isn't it? B: Yes, I agree.
Literally 'It's good', used to give assent or permission in a friendly way.
A: ここに座ってもいい？B: いいですよ。
A: Can I sit here? B: Sure, go ahead.
Very casual 'yeah' or 'uh-huh', used among close friends or family. Not for formal situations.
To express agreement through a gesture, often accompanied by a word.
To nod in agreement; the physical act of assenting.
彼は黙ってうなずいた。
He silently nodded his assent.
To agree unwillingly or after hesitation.
To reluctantly agree; 'shibushibu' implies doing something unwillingly.
彼はしぶしぶその要求に同意した。
He grudgingly assented to the demand.
To consent because there is no other choice; 'shikatanaku' means 'having no alternative'.
彼女は仕方なくその条件を承諾した。
She reluctantly assented to the terms.
承諾 (shōdaku) is formal consent, often legally binding. 同意 (dōi) is general agreement, suitable for most contexts. 賛成 (sansei) implies active support, like seconding a motion.
English 'assent' can sound stiff if directly translated. In casual Japanese, use phrases like そうですね or いいですよ instead of formal terms like 承諾する, which may sound overly official.
A: Want to hang out tomorrow? B: Yeah, sure.
Literally 'to shake one's head vertically', meaning to nod in agreement.
彼女は首を縦に振って同意を示した。
She nodded to show her assent.