Yatta

Yatta is a Japanese interjection that expresses success or relief, roughly translating to “I did it!” or “We did it!” It is commonly used after completing a task or achieving a goal and can be written in kana as やった or in romaji as Yatta. The phrase appears in everyday speech, media, and popular culture, and is often used playfully or humorously in online communication.

In 2003 the word achieved wider recognition as the title of a novelty song by the Japanese group Happa-tai (葉っぱ隊), known in English as Leaf Squad. The accompanying music video features four performers wearing leaf coverings while performing a simple, memorable dance to the chorus “Yatta.” The video and song gained attention in Japan and later circulated globally as a viral meme through video sharing sites and remixes, helping to popularize the exclamation outside its original linguistic context.

Beyond the meme, Yatta remains a common casual expression in Japanese and appears in various media, merchandise, and fan content. In formal contexts, speakers would typically use more standard phrases to express success, such as 見事でした (migoto deshita) or 成功しました (seikō shimashita), depending on the situation.

See also: Japanese exclamations, Internet memes, Happa-tai,叶えたことを祝う表現.