yeah, nah
Polite Australian rejection
Yeah, nah is an Australian and New Zealand expression that despite its apparent contradiction means no.
The yeah acknowledges what was said before declining: Want to come to the party? Yeah, nah, I'm pretty tired.
It softens rejection, signaling you've considered the offer before turning it down.
Compare nah, yeah, which means yes.
- shakeTrembling or blended treat
- indecisionFailure to decide
- ambivalenceConflicting emotions coexisting
- vernacularEveryday regional speech
- hedgingNoncommittal maneuvering
indirectness · colloquialism · casual speech · Aussie slang · regional dialects · slang · disagreement · smirk · rejection · mate · fair enough · shrug · body language · code-switching · spoken word · pause · social cues · oxymorons
yeah, nahno
Opposite of yes
nope · absolutely not · no way · never · not a chance
yeah, nahabsolutely
Completely, without exception
one hundred percent · without a doubt · count me in · wholeheartedly · sign me up