やべー

i-adjective

dangerous; bad; awesome

informalcolloquialevaluation emotion

See also: やばい (standard form)

1. dangerous; bad; in trouble

casual/slang pronunciation of やばい expressing danger, a problematic situation, or something negative

やべー、遅刻(ちこく)する！

Oh no, I'm gonna be late!

財布(さいふ)忘(わす)れた。やべー。

I forgot my wallet. This is bad.

この状況(じょうきょう)、マジやべーよ。

This situation is seriously bad.

2. awesome; amazing; incredible

positive slang use expressing strong admiration or excitement; common among young people

このラーメン、やべー！

This ramen is amazing!

あのバンドのライブ、やべーよかった。

That band's concert was incredibly good.

この景色(けしき)、やべーきれいじゃない？

Isn't this view absolutely stunning?

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やべー is a casual pronunciation of やばい. Like many slang words, it has both negative (original) and positive (newer) meanings depending on context.
Very casual; inappropriate for formal situations. Use in casual conversation with friends only.

Usage

The positive meaning (sense 2) developed in the 2000s among young people. Context and tone usually make the intended meaning clear.

Forms

やべえ (written with え)
やっべー (extra emphasis)

general

Added 2026.1.28 20:27 · Revised 2026.10.7 15:24

08500/08783_yabee