Here's a secret that textbooks don't teach: native Japanese speakers use filler words CONSTANTLY. Words like えーと, あのう, and なんか fill pauses, buy thinking time, and make speech sound natural.

Without these words, your Japanese sounds robotic. With them? You sound like a real person having a real conversation! 🗣️

Why Filler Words Matter

🎯 They Buy You Time

Need a second to think? Say えーと instead of awkward silence!

🎭 They Sound Human

Perfect, pause-free speech sounds unnatural. Even native speakers hesitate!

🔗 They Connect Ideas

Fillers smooth transitions between thoughts, making speech flow better.

😌 They Reduce Pressure

Using fillers takes pressure off – you don't need perfect instant responses.

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The Essential Filler Words 📢

1. えーと / えーっと (Eeto / Eetto)

English equivalent: "Um...", "Uh...", "Let me see..."

The MOST common Japanese filler! Use it when thinking.

Usage:

A: 何を食べたい？(What do you want to eat?) B: えーと...ラーメンかな。(Umm...maybe ramen.)

Variations:

• えー (ee) – shorter
• えーっと (eetto) – drawn out for more thinking time
• えーとね (eeto ne) – softer, feminine

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2. あのう / あの (Anou / Ano)

English equivalent: "Uh...", "Excuse me...", "Well..."

Polite hesitation. Perfect for getting someone's attention or softening a question.

Usage:

あのう、すみません... (Excuse me, sorry...) あの、ちょっといいですか？(Um, do you have a moment?)

When to use:

• Before asking a stranger something
• When hesitating politely
• Softening a potentially awkward question

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3. なんか (Nanka)

English equivalent: "Like...", "Kinda...", "Something..."

The Japanese "like" – very common in casual speech!

Usage:

なんか疲れた... (I'm like tired...) なんかよくわからない。(I kinda don't understand.) なんかいいね！(Something about it is nice!)

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4. まあ (Maa)

English equivalent: "Well...", "I mean...", "Kinda..."

Softens statements. Adds nuance and hedging.

Usage:

まあ、いいんじゃない？(Well, it's fine, isn't it?) まあ、そうですね。(Well, that's true.) まあまあです。(It's so-so.)

Meanings by context:

• Considering something: "Well..."
• Acceptance: "Oh well..."
• So-so: まあまあ (maamaa)

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5. その / そのう (Sono / Sonou)

English equivalent: "That...", "Uh...", "The, um..."

Used when searching for a word or hesitating.

Usage:

その...なんていうか... (Um...how do I say this...) その、あれだよ、あれ。(That, you know, that thing.)

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6. ほら (Hora)

English equivalent: "Look!", "See?", "Y'know!"

Gets attention or points something out.

Usage:

ほら、あそこ！(Look, over there!) ほら、言ったでしょ？(See? I told you!) ほら、あの人...なんていうか... (Y'know, that person... what's it called...)

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7. やっぱり / やっぱ (Yappari / Yappa)

English equivalent: "As I thought...", "After all...", "Actually..."

Confirms expectations or changes your mind back.

Usage:

やっぱりコーヒーにする。(Actually, I'll have coffee.) やっぱそうだよね。(I knew it.) やっぱり日本語は楽しい！(As I thought, Japanese is fun!)

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8. 一応 (Ichiou)

English equivalent: "Just in case...", "For now...", "Tentatively..."

Hedges statements, adds caution.

Usage:

一応聞いてみる。(I'll ask just in case.) 一応終わりました。(It's tentatively done.)

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Conversation Connectors 🔗

These words link ideas and keep conversation flowing:

9. で (De)

English equivalent: "So...", "And then..."

Casual connector to continue a thought.

Usage:

で、どうだった？(So, how was it?) で、それから？(And then?)

10. だから (Dakara)

English equivalent: "So...", "That's why...", "Therefore..."

Shows cause and effect.

Usage:

だから言ったのに！(That's why I said so!) 雨だった。だから家にいた。(It was raining. So I stayed home.)

11. でも (Demo)

English equivalent: "But...", "However..."

Introduces contrast or objection.

Usage:

でも、高いよね...(But it's expensive, right...) でもさ、面白かったよ！(But hey, it was interesting!)

12. ていうか (Te iu ka)

English equivalent: "Or rather...", "I mean...", "Actually..."

Corrects or reframes what you just said.

Usage:

好きだよ、っていうか、大好き！(I like it, or rather, I LOVE it!) 難しい。てか、わからない。(It's hard. Actually, I don't understand.)

Casual form: てか (teka)

13. なんていうか / 何て言えばいいか (Nante iu ka)

English equivalent: "How should I say...", "What's the word..."

When searching for the right expression.

Usage:

なんていうか...複雑だね。(How should I say...it's complicated.)

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Thinking Out Loud 🧠

14. ちょっと (Chotto)

English equivalent: "A bit...", "Kinda...", "Hold on..."

Softens refusals or adds hesitation.

Usage:

ちょっと難しいかな... (It might be a bit difficult...) ちょっと待って。(Hold on a second.) うーん、ちょっと... (Hmm, it's kinda...) [polite refusal]

15. なんだっけ (Nandakke)

English equivalent: "What was it again?"

When you're trying to remember something.

Usage:

名前なんだっけ？(What was their name again?) あの映画、なんだっけ？(That movie, what was it called?)

16. あれ (Are)

English equivalent: "That thing...", "Whatchamacallit..."

Placeholder when you can't remember the word.

Usage:

昨日の、あれ、どうなった？(Yesterday's, that thing, how did it go?) あれだよ、あれ。(It's that thing, you know, that.)

17. 確か (Tashika)

English equivalent: "If I remember correctly...", "I think..."

Uncertainty about information.

Usage:

確か火曜日だったと思う。(If I recall, I think it was Tuesday.)

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Agreement & Response Fillers 🤝

18. ね (Ne)

English equivalent: "Right?", "Isn't it?", "Huh?"

Seeks agreement or adds softness.

Usage:

いい天気だね！(Nice weather, isn't it!) 難しいね。(It's hard, right?)

19. さ (Sa)

English equivalent: "Y'know...", "Like..."

Casual emphasis, often masculine.

Usage:

それさ、違うと思うよ。(That, y'know, I think it's wrong.)

20. よ (Yo)

English equivalent: "I'm telling you!", "You know!"

Adds assertion or emphasis.

Usage:

本当だよ！(It's true, I'm telling you!) 行こうよ！(Let's go!)

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Filler Words Quick Reference 📋

Filler	Reading	Use Case	Formality
えーと	eeto	Thinking	Neutral
あのう	anou	Hesitation	Polite
なんか	nanka	Like/kinda	Casual
まあ	maa	Well...	Neutral
ほら	hora	Look/see	Casual
やっぱり	yappari	As I thought	Neutral
ちょっと	chotto	A bit	Neutral
一応	ichiou	Just in case	Neutral
まあまあ	maamaa	So-so	Neutral
でも	demo	But	Neutral
だから	dakara	So/therefore	Neutral
てか	teka	I mean	Casual

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How to Practice Filler Words

1. Shadow Native Speakers

Watch Japanese content and repeat exactly how they hesitate and connect ideas.

2. Practice Thinking Aloud

When studying alone, narrate your thoughts using えーと and なんか.

3. Record Yourself

Make voice memos in Japanese. Use fillers to keep talking even when unsure.

4. Start with Three

Master えーと, あのう, and なんか first. They cover 80% of filler situations!

5. Notice Overuse

Like English "um" and "like," too many fillers can be distracting. Use naturally!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it bad to use filler words?

No! Native speakers use them constantly. They're part of natural speech. Just don't overdo it.

Which filler should I learn first?

Start with えーと – it's the most useful and neutral. Then add あのう for politeness and なんか for casual situations.

Can I use these in formal speech?

えーと and あのう are fine in formal situations. Avoid casual ones like なんか and てか with superiors.

Will I sound fluent if I use fillers?

You'll sound more natural! Fluency comes from overall communication, but fillers help fill the gaps while you're learning.

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Conclusion: Embrace the Hesitation! 🎯

Filler words are the secret sauce of natural Japanese conversation. They make you sound human, give you thinking time, and connect your ideas smoothly.

Key takeaways: ✅ えーと is your best friend – use it before you need to think ✅ あのう softens questions and gets attention politely ✅ なんか makes casual speech flow naturally ✅ やっぱり confirms expectations or changes decisions ✅ Don't fear pauses – fill them naturally!

Your next step: To truly master conversational Japanese, start with the basics! Learn hiragana with KanaDojo → and build toward natural, flowing speech!

えーと、じゃ、頑張ってね！ (Eeto, ja, ganbatte ne!) Um, well, good luck!

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• Japanese Slang Guide
• Common Japanese Mistakes
• Japanese Self-Introduction