Use やばい to warn about physical danger or risky behavior, though it is often used in casual speech rather than formal warnings.
Use やばい to warn about physical danger or risky behavior, though it is often used in casual speech rather than formal warnings.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| それはやばいだ。 | それはやばい。 |
| 昨日はやばいなかった。 | 昨日はやばくなかった。 |
| 彼はやばいをした。 | 彼はやばいことをした。 |
| やばいな人 | やばい人 |
Use やばい to complain about a bad situation, a mistake, or something of poor quality in casual conversation.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| テストがやばいだった。 | テストがやばかった。 |
| それはやばいだ。 | それはやばい。 |
| やばいすぎる。 | やばすぎる。 |
| 彼はやばいを言った。 | 彼はやばいことを言った。 |
Use やばい to praise something enthusiastically in casual settings, noting that the tone must convey the positive meaning.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| この映画はやばいだった。 | この映画はやばかった。 |
| それはやばいだ。 | それはやばい。 |
| やばいなくて。 | やばくなくて。 |
| やばいなプレイ。 | やばいプレイ。 |
Use やばい to emphasize the intensity of a physical sensation or a state of affairs.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| 辛さがやばいだ。 | 辛さがやばい。 |
| やばいな暑さ。 | やばい暑さ。 |
| それはやばい暑い。 | それはやばく暑い。 |
| やばいを感じる。 | やばさを感じる。 |
Pay close attention to tone and context, as the word can mean dangerous, terrible, amazing, or extreme.
Adding the copula だ (da) directly after やばい is incorrect because it is an i-adjective, so say やばい (yabai) or やばかった (yabakatta), not やばいだ (yabai da).
Derived from the older adjective やば (yaba), meaning illegal or dangerous, possibly originating from the term 厄場 (yaba) referring to a dangerous place or situation, and later shifting to an i-adjective form.
What does yabai mean?
It is a versatile slang term that can mean dangerous, terrible, amazing, or extreme depending on context.
Is yabai rude?
It is informal and slang, so it is not suitable for formal situations, but it is not inherently rude among friends.
Can yabai mean good?
Yes, in modern slang it is frequently used to mean amazing, cool, or incredible.
How do you use yabai in a sentence?
It functions as an i-adjective, such as "それはやばい" (That is amazing/bad/dangerous).
What is the origin of yabai?
It comes from the older word "yaba" meaning illegal or dangerous, possibly related to "yaba" meaning a dangerous place.
Is yabai formal or informal?
It is informal slang and should be avoided in formal or business contexts.
What are the synonyms for yabai?
Synonyms include "abunai" (dangerous), "saiaku" (the worst), and "sugoi" (amazing).
How do you conjugate yabai?
It conjugates like a standard i-adjective: negative "yabakunai", past "yabakatta", past negative "yabakunakatta".
Can women say yabai?
Yes, it is used by both men and women, though some variations like "yabee" sound more masculine.
What is the difference between yabai and abunai?
"Abunai" is the standard word for dangerous, while "yabai" is slang with a much wider range of meanings including good and bad.