Translation guide
An informal greeting or attention-getter, similar to "hey" or "hi". In Japanese, the equivalent is often a casual interjection like よっ or おい, but usage depends heavily on context and relationship.
A very casual, masculine greeting derived from おはようございます. Used mainly among young men or in sports settings.
おっす、調子どう？
Yo, how's it going?
A casual "hi" or "hey", slightly more neutral than よっ. Can be used by both genders.
やあ、また会ったね。
Yo, we meet again.
A very slangy, contracted form of うっす (from おっす). Used in extremely casual, often youthful or otaku circles.
ういっす、今日もよろしく。
Yo, thanks for today too.
To call out to someone, often to get their attention or express surprise.
A sharp, informal way to call someone's attention. Can sound rough or urgent. Used among friends or in casual situations.
おい、ちょっと待って！
Yo, wait a sec!
おい、何してるんだ？
Yo, what are you doing?
Literally "a little", but used as a soft attention-getter like "hey" or "excuse me". More polite than おい.
A casual, friendly way to get someone's attention, similar to "hey" or "say". Often used by women.
ねえ、ちょっと手伝って。
Yo, help me out a bit.
These are very casual and can be rude if used with teachers, bosses, or strangers. Stick to こんにちは or すみません in formal situations.
すみません、ちょっといいですか？
Excuse me, do you have a moment?
よっ is a greeting, like "yo" when you meet someone. おい is an attention-getter, like "hey!" when you need to call out. Using おい as a greeting can sound aggressive.
ちょっと、聞いてる？
Yo, are you listening?