The Meaning of yatto [やっと] In Japanese

やっと
やっと
Romaji: yatto N5

What does やっと mean?

Translation and Meaning

at last, finally, barely

Definition

What does やっと mean? It means ‘at last’ or ‘finally’ after a long wait or effort, conveying relief that something has happened; used to describe completion after difficulty.

Type

adverb (副詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • After a long wait or effort, something happens and there is relief or satisfaction.
  • Conveys the sense of ‘barely’ or ‘just’ in contexts where the outcome was uncertain or difficult.
  • Predominantly used as an adverb and can modify verbs or adjectives in past contexts.

Usage

Used in casual and neutral contexts to describe the moment something finally happens after delay or effort; attaches before the main verb or before a following clause, and is common in narrative speech and everyday conversation; typically used with verbs in the past tense.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a countdown ending with relief; you shout ya! and the timer clicks to ‘tto’ as the finish line is reached.

Variations

  • ついに (tsuini) — at last, ultimately; tsuini
  • ようやく (youyaku) — long-awaited, slightly more formal; youyaku
  • とうとう (toutou) — eventually, often with a sense of inevitability; toutou
  • まだ (mada) — antonym meaning not yet; mada

Example Phrases

  • やっと駅に着いて、友達と昼ごはんを食べた。
    Yatto eki ni tsuite, tomodachi to hirugohan o tabeta.
    Finally I arrived at the station and had lunch with a friend.
    Lista:
    • やっと (yatto) – finally
    • 駅に着いて (eki ni tsuite) – arriving at the station
    • 友達と (tomodachi to) – with a friend
    • 昼ごはんを (hirugohan o) – lunch
    • 食べた (tabeta) – ate
    「やっと」 means ‘at last’ after effort; in this sentence it emphasizes the completed action before the next clause: 駅に着いて.
やっと