If you’ve ever listened to people speaking Japanese, you’ve probably heard words like “ano（あの〜）” “etto（えっと）” or “uun（うーん）” pop up in the middle of their sentences. They might sound like fillers—and that’s exactly what they are.
Just like we say “um,” “well,” or “you know” in English when we’re thinking or not quite sure what to say next, Japanese has its own set of filler words. These little sounds might not carry much meaning on their own, but they help conversations flow more naturally and give speakers a moment to pause or soften what they’re saying.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most common Japanese fillers, how they’re used, and why they matter more than you might think.
英語で「um」「well」「you know」など、考え事をしている時や次に言う言葉を探している時に使うのと同じように、日本語にも独自のつなぎ言葉（フィラー/Filler）があります。フィラーはそれ自体にはあまり意味を持たないかもしれませんが、会話をより自然に流れさせ、話し手に間を置いたり、言葉を和らげる効果があります。この記事では、日本語でよく使われるフィラーを紹介します！
Common Japanese Fillers
Below this table you will find natural example sentences for each.
| フィラー（Filler） | 英語（English） | 使うタイミング / When It’s Used |
|---|---|---|
| あのう（anou） | well…, um… | When you start talking, before you say something difficult 話し出すとき、言いにくいことを言う前 |
| そのー（sono–） | um…, you know… | When you’re trying to find something difficult to say 言いにくいことを探って言うとき |
| えっと（etto） | let me see…, uh… | When you are thinking in an organized way or trying to remember something 話し出す時、思い出しているとき、考え中のとき |
| ええと（eeto） | um…, let’s see… | When you think in an organized way 順序立てて考えているとき、何かを思い出そうとしているとき |
| うーん（uun） | hmm…, I’m not sure… | When you are confused, thinking, or worried 迷っているとき、考えているとき、悩んでいるとき |
| ま（ma）、まあ（maa） | I guess…, well… | When making a conclusion, wrapping up a discussion, or beginning an evaluation 結論を言うとき、話をまとめたいとき、何かの評価を始めるとき |
| なんか（nanka） | like…, kind of… | When talking about vague impressions or feelings 曖昧な印象や感覚を話すとき |
| まあとにかく（maa tonikaku） | anyway…, in any case… | When wrapping up or coming to a conclusion 話をまとめるとき、話題を切り替えるとき |
| いや、その……（iya, sono…） | well…, no, I mean… | Say it before a negation or refutation to soften the negation that follows. 否定や反論の前に言って、その後に続く否定を和らげる |
| そういえば（sou ieba） | speaking of which…, now that you mention it… | When you remember a related story 関連する話を思い出したとき |
Natural Japanese Examples Using Fillers
あのう（anou）
When It’s Used: When you start talking, before you say something difficult
① あのう、ちょっとお聞きしてもいいですか？
Anou, chotto okiki shite mo ii desu ka?
→ Um, excuse me, may I ask you something?
② あのう、実は今日ちょっと早く帰りたいんです。
Anou, jitsu wa kyou chotto hayaku kaeritain desu.
→ Uh, actually… I’d like to leave a bit early today.
そのー（sono–）
When It’s Used: When you’re trying to find something difficult to say
① そのー、急で申し訳ないんだけど、明日休んでもいい？
Sono–, kyuu de moushiwakenain dakedo, ashita yasunde mo ii?
→ Um, I’m really sorry for the short notice, but can I take tomorrow off?
② そのー、実はお願いがあるんですけど…。
Sono–, jitsu wa onegai ga arun desu kedo…
→ So… actually, I have a favor to ask…
えっと（etto）
When It’s Used: When you start speaking, remembering, or thinking
① えっと、来週の金曜日って空いてる？
Etto, raishuu no kinyoubi tte aiteru?
→ Um… are you free next Friday?
② えっと、それってどういう意味？
Etto, sore tte dou iu imi?
→ Let me see… what do you mean by that?
③ えっと、ちょっと聞いていいかな？
Etto, chotto kiite ī ka na?
→ Um, can I just ask something?
ええと（eeto）
When It’s Used: When you are thinking in an organized way or trying to remember something
① ええと、たしか名前は佐藤さんだったよね？
Eeto, tashika namae wa Satou-san datta yo ne?
→ Um… I think your name was Sato, right?
② ええと、次は何をすればいいんだっけ？
Eeto, tsugi wa nani o sureba iin dakke?
→ Let’s see… what should I do next?
うーん（uun）
When It’s Used: When you are confused, thinking, or worried
① うーん、どっちにしようかな。
Uun, docchi ni shiyou kana.
→ Hmm… which one should I choose?
② うーん、それはちょっと難しいかも。
Uun, sore wa chotto muzukashii kamo.
→ Hmm… that might be a little difficult.
ま（ma）、まあ（maa）
When It’s Used: When making a conclusion, wrapping up a discussion, or beginning an evaluation
① ま、そういうこともあるよね。
Ma, sou iu koto mo aru yo ne.
→ Well, things like that happen.
② ま、いいか。明日やればいいし。
Ma, ii ka. Ashita yareba ii shi.
→ Oh well, it’s fine. I can just do it tomorrow.
なんか（nanka）
When It’s Used: When talking about vague impressions or feelings
① なんか、今日の先生ちょっと機嫌悪くなかった？
Nanka, kyou no sensei chotto kigen warukunakatta?
→ Like, didn’t the teacher seem kind of moody today?
② この服、なんか変じゃない？
Kono fuku, nanka hen janai?
→ Doesn’t this outfit look kind of weird?
まあ、とにかく（maa tonikaku）
When It’s Used: When wrapping up or coming to a conclusion
① まあとにかく、やってみよう！
Maa tonikaku, yatte miyou!
→ Anyway, let’s just give it a try!
② まあとにかく、今日はゆっくり休んで。
Maa tonikaku, kyou wa yukkuri yasunde.
→ Anyway, just take it easy today.
いや、その……（iya, sono…）
When It’s Used: Say it before a negation or refutation to soften the negation that follows.
① いや、その、僕のせいじゃないと思うんだけど…。
Iya, sono, boku no sei janai to omoun dakedo…
→ Well, I mean… I don’t think it was really my fault.
② いや、その、あんまり深い意味はなかったんだ。
Iya, sono, anmari fukai imi wa nakattan da.
→ No, I mean… I didn’t mean anything by it.
そういえば（sou ieba）
When It’s Used: When you remember a related story
① そういえば、田中さん来週から海外出張らしいよ。
Sou ieba, Tanaka-san raishuu kara kaigai shucchou rashii yo.
→ Speaking of which, I heard Tanaka-san is going on a business trip next week.
② そういえば、昨日借りた本返すの忘れてた！
Sou ieba, kinou karita hon kaesu no wasureteta!
→ Oh, by the way, I forgot to return the book I borrowed yesterday!
Common Mistakes Japanese Learners Make When Using Fillers
1. Overusing Fillers
❌ Example (unnatural)
A: Etto, yesterday I, etto, went to a café, etto, with my friend and… etto, had coffee.
B: (Hmm… it’s hard to follow the rhythm of what they’re saying.)
Using etto or ano too often—even within the same sentence—can break the natural flow of speech and make it difficult for the listener to understand the point.
✅ What to do:
- Use fillers only when you’re genuinely pausing to think
- One filler per sentence is usually enough
- Practice comfortable silent pauses instead of always filling them with sound
- Record yourself and check how often you’re using fillers
2. Mixing in English Fillers
❌ Example (mixed usage)
A: Um, yesterday like it was really cold, I mean, I couldn’t go out without a coat.
B: (Wait… are they speaking English or Japanese?)
English fillers like um, like, or I mean often slip into Japanese speech if you’re not careful, especially for native English speakers. This can make your Japanese sound confusing or unnatural.
✅ What to do:
- Replace um with etto, I mean with to iu ka
- Practice shadowing native Japanese speech to learn where and how fillers are used
- Be aware that directly transferring English habits into Japanese often doesn’t work
3. Using Casual Fillers in Formal Situations
❌ Example (business setting)
A: Etto, sono, nanka… I think the mistake in the document was probably mine, ssu.
B: (“Nanka”? In a formal meeting?)
Words like nanka or ssu are fine in casual conversations with friends, but they’re out of place in formal settings like work or presentations.
✅ What to do:
- Learn formal alternatives like moshikashitara or tabun desu
- Practice polite filler usage in role-plays for business or academic settings
- Be aware of the tone level of each filler
4. Using Fillers in Awkward Positions
❌ Example (odd placement)
A: Watashi wa etto, I live in Tokyo, etto, I’m a college student.
B: (I get it, but the phrasing feels a bit off…)
Placing fillers right after particles or at the end of sentences often results in unnatural phrasing in Japanese.
✅ What to do:
- Place fillers at the beginning of sentences or just before a new idea
- Use shadowing (repeating native speech) to internalize natural placement
- Focus on how intonation and pauses work in real Japanese dialogue
5. Relying on Fillers Too Much (and Losing Your Message)
❌ Example (message unclear)
A: Nanka, etto, ano… yesterday’s presentation was, like, uun, kind of… meh.
B: Meh? What exactly was the issue?
When too many fillers are used, your main point can get lost, and your message ends up vague or confusing.
✅ What to do:
- Start by saying your main point clearly in one sentence
- Use fillers only to add detail or soften tone—not to avoid stating your thoughts
- Try speaking in the structure: main point → reason → extra info
Final Thoughts
Fillers are an important part of sounding natural in spoken Japanese.
But to use them effectively, learners need to be mindful of when, where, how much, and in what tone they’re being used.
🌱 Start with listening, move to mimicking, and then master the balance.
The key is: Don’t be afraid of silence—use fillers wisely, not constantly.
I hope you found this post helpful!
Today, we looked at some of the most common fillers you’ll hear in everyday Japanese conversation.
If you have any questions, feel free to send me a DM on Instagram(@koni_bali).
Thanks for reading — see you next time!
