WordWide
German

Meanings

  1. modal · particleobviously; certainly; of course; as you know; as is generally known (indicates and emphasises that one is expressing an established fact)

    Es kann ja nicht immer so bleiben.It obviously cannot always remain so.

  2. colloquial · modal · particleunder any circumstances, for (absolute) certain (often with the implication of pettiness, insecurity or overblown fear regarding the issue one wants certainty on)

    Er fragt jedes Mal mindestens fünf Mal nach, um auch ja alles richtig zu machen.Eery time, he asks to make sure at least five times to be absolutely positively sure that he does it all correctly.

  3. colloquial · modal · particlehad better; used to reinforce an imperative or other order with an implied threat, especially by an authority figure.

    Komm ja nicht zu spät nach Hause!You'd better not be late in coming back home!

1 more meanings

Interjection

  1. modal · particleyes; yea; yeah; aye

    Willst du das? Ja.Do you want that? Yes.

Examples

GermanEnglish
Ja, es passiert von Zeit zu Zeit.Yes, it happens from time to time.
Ich habe ja nichts Besseres zu tun.It's not like I have anything better to do.
8 more examples
Du scheinst ja gut gelaunt zu sein.You seem to be in a good mood.
Das meinte ich ja mehr oder weniger.Well, that's kind of my point.
Es scheint ja schön gewesen zu sein.It sounds like you had fun.
Du bist ja noch so jung!You're still so young!
Ja, ich habe das Buch gelesen.Yes, I have read the book.
Ja, das ist genau das gleiche.Yeah, it's exactly the same.
Das glaubst du ja selbst nicht.You don't believe that yourself.
Ja, ich denke, du solltest gehen.Yes, I think you should go.