What is the Japanese equivalent of "mhm"?


In English conversations, when I listen to someone speak, I have a habit of
intermittently uttering "mhm" just to let the other person know I'm listening
to what he/she is saying. Is there a Japanese equivalent of this? I'm thinking
of "はい", but I don't know if it will come off as being too stiff.




They're called aizuchi. はい is certainly one. うん is the more casual option.
Wikipedia has the following:

> In the Japanese language, [Aizuchi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aizuchi)
> (Japanese: 相槌 or あいづち, IPA: [aizu͍t͡ɕi]) are the frequent interjections
> during a conversation that indicate the listener is paying attention or
> understands the speaker. In linguistic terms, these are a form of phatic
> expression. Aizuchi are considered reassuring to the speaker, indicating
> that the listener is active and involved in the discussion.
>
> Aizuchi are frequently misinterpreted by non-native speakers as the listener
> showing agreement or fully comprehending what is being said.
>
> Common aizuchi include:
>
>   * hai (はい), ee (ええ), or un (うん) (yes, with varying degrees of formality)
>   * sō desu ne (そうですね) (I see.)
>   * sō desu ka (そうですか) (is that so?)
>   * hontō (本当), hontō ni (本当に), maji (マジ), or (in Kansai) honma (本真)
> (really)
>   * naruhodo (なるほど) (I see, that's right)
>   * nodding
>

>
> These can be compared to English "yeah, yeah", "yeah, ok", "got it", "yep",
> "uhuh" or "go on", but are more pronounced and important in Japanese.




They're called aizuchi. はい is certainly one. うん is the more casual option.
Wikipedia has the following:

> In the Japanese language, [Aizuchi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aizuchi)
> (Japanese: 相槌 or あいづち, IPA: [aizu͍t͡ɕi]) are the frequent interjections
> during a conversation that indicate the listener is paying attention or
> understands the speaker. In linguistic terms, these are a form of phatic
> expression. Aizuchi are considered reassuring to the speaker, indicating
> that the listener is active and involved in the discussion.
>
> Aizuchi are frequently misinterpreted by non-native speakers as the listener
> showing agreement or fully comprehending what is being said.
>
> Common aizuchi include:
>
>   * hai (はい), ee (ええ), or un (うん) (yes, with varying degrees of formality)
>   * sō desu ne (そうですね) (I see.)
>   * sō desu ka (そうですか) (is that so?)
>   * hontō (本当), hontō ni (本当に), maji (マジ), or (in Kansai) honma (本真)
> (really)
>   * naruhodo (なるほど) (I see, that's right)
>   * nodding
>

>
> These can be compared to English "yeah, yeah", "yeah, ok", "got it", "yep",
> "uhuh" or "go on", but are more pronounced and important in Japanese.

