yo
word
/ˈjoʊ/
yoh
/jˈəʊ/
yoh
Definition
An informal greeting or way to get someone's attention, commonly used among friends or in street culture. It can mean 'hello', 'hey', or signal someone.
Usage & Nuances
Very informal, common in hip-hop, youth, or internet circles. Rarely used in formal settings. Can show friendliness or attract attention. Sometimes used to start a conversation: "Yo, what's up?". Don't confuse with the Spanish pronoun 'yo' ('I').
Spanish: ¡yo! (saludo informal) - oye (llamando a alguien informalmente)Portuguese (BR): yo (cumprimento informal)Portuguese (PT): yo (cumprimento informal)Chinese (Simplified): 哟 (打招呼，非正式) - 嘿 (非正式打招呼)Chinese (Traditional): 喲 (打招呼，非正式) - 嘿 (非正式打招呼)Hindi: यो (अनौपचारिक अभिवादन)Arabic: ياو (تحية غير رسمية)Bengali: এই (উচ্চারণ: 'ei') - হেই (ইনফর্মাল হেই)Russian: йо - эй (разговорно)Japanese: ヨー - よっVietnamese: yo - ê (thân mật) - này (thân mật)Korean: 요 - 야 (친근한 호칭)Turkish: yo - hey (samimi, gençler arasında)Urdu: یو - سُن (دوستانہ انداز)Indonesian: yo - hei (gaul)
Example Sentences
You can just say 'yo' to get their attention.
basic
Yo, what's up?
basic
He came in and said, 'Yo!' to everyone.
basic
Yo, did you see that game last night?
natural
Sometimes he just walks by and goes, 'yo,' like it's nothing.
natural
If you need help, just shout 'yo' and I'll come over.
natural