Ya, saya setuju.

Yes, I agree.

Breakdown of Ya, saya setuju.

• saya: I
• setuju: to agree
• ya: yes

Questions & Answers about Ya, saya setuju.

What does each word mean, and is there a verb “to be” here?

• Ya = yes.
• saya = I (polite/neutral).
• setuju = agree/agreeing. Indonesian doesn’t use a present-tense “to be.” Saya setuju literally reads “I agree,” with setuju acting as the predicate (stative verb/adjective). You don’t say “I am agree.”

How do I pronounce Ya, saya setuju?

• ya: /ya/ (like “ya” in “yard” without the r).
• saya: /sa-ya/ (the y is like English y; many say [sa.ja]).
• setuju: /sə-TOO-joo/; the first e is a schwa (like the a in “sofa”), u is “oo,” j is like English j in “judge.” Stress tends to fall on tu.

Is ya the same as iya?

They both mean “yes,” but:

• iya is a bit more colloquial and friendly.
• ya is neutral and also functions as a discourse particle (“well/so/okay”). In short replies, both are fine: Ya / Iya. In text/chat, you’ll also see iyaaa for extra warmth.

Do I need the comma after Ya?