Good word for yes

You’re about to learn 33 different ways to say “yes” in English. Also check out How to Answer “How Are You?” + 9 Interesting Ways to Ask It.

“Yes” is a lovely word, but there are so many different ways to say “yes.”

So why limit yourself?

Why say “yes” all the time when you can say something like “gladly,” “for sure” or even “be my guest”?

We’re going to look at six situations where you might need to say “yes”:

1. Say “yes” to a request
2. Agree with an opinion
3. Say “yes” to an offer
4. Confirm a fact
5. Give permission
6. Say “yes” to a suggestion

Say “Yes” to a Request

One of the most common situations where we use the word “yes” is when someone wants us to do something for them.

Maybe it’s at work:

Or at home:

Or it might be a request from a friend:

Whatever it is, there are loads of different ways you can say “yes” to requests.

No problem

This is the classic!

This is a very common way of saying “yes” to a request. It does a good job of making everything feel under control.

Sure

This one is pretty informal.

Sure thing

This is like “sure,” but a little less formal. It also feels a bit more enthusiastic and gives off a “can-do” positive energy. As a result, it’s pretty popular with Americans.

No worries

This is actually an Australian English expression.

We all know that Australians are well known for having a rather relaxed attitude towards life.

And this expression totally captures that unstressed, chilled-out feeling.

Consider it done

This expression says, “I’m a reliable person! You can count on me!”

When you say this, you come across as an efficient person with your life under control.

I’m on it

This one is quite similar to “consider it done.”

When you use it, you’re saying, “I’m totally capable of this. You don’t need to worry.”

I’d be delighted

OK. This one is quite strong in terms of emotional expression.

It should be a response to a big request — usually one with emotional connections.

So it could work if someone asks you to be the godmother for their child, for example.

But it would sound a bit weird if you’re being asked to take out the rubbish.

I’d love to

This is just like “I’d be delighted.”

So remember to use it for situations that are likely to delight you, like looking after your bosses seaside mansion for a week.

Not cleaning his car.

Unless you like cleaning cars, I guess.

All right

“All right” is a nice, neutral expression.

But be careful because it can sound a bit too uninterested.

So if someone’s asking you to do something big, like look after their pet python for two months while they go on a scuba diving holiday in southern Uruguay, then it might seem like you don’t really care too much.

But it’s fine if they’re asking you to open the window for them.

Fine

Again, this one is very neutral, but it can show a lack of enthusiasm in some situations.

So, like with “all right,” only use it for boring, everyday tasks, otherwise you might seem insincere.

Gladly

This is a little old fashioned and light-hearted.

It’s got a nice, calm and positive feeling to it, though.

By all means

When you use this expression, you’re saying, “I’m really happy to help you, and I’m glad that you asked. I like helping you.”

Of course

Another classic way of saying “yes.”

But you know this one already, right?

Certainly / Definitely

“Certainly” and “definitely” both mean more or less the same thing.

And when you’re using these in answer to a request, they have a similar meaning to “sure” or “sure thing.”

Just a little less informal.

Absolutely

Very similar to “certainly” or “definitely,” but this one is a little more enthusiastic. It shows that you really want to help.

Yep

Informal, familiar and casual.

It can be a nice one to use when you’re with friends and family. It shows familiarity and that you’re comfortable with the other people.

In less casual situations, I’d recommend avoiding it. Just in case.

Yeah

This is basically the same as “yep.”

OK

Another classic!

Interestingly no one really knows where this word came from, though some theories are quite popular.

One theory is that it came from the USA in the 1830s, when it was fashionable to make jokey, misspelt phrases.

One of these was “Orl Korrect” (meaning “all correct”).

For some reason, people thought this sort of thing was hilarious.

Either way, if the theory is true, this phrase is still with us with “OK.”

Agree with an Opinion

Sometimes we don’t say “yes” in order to give information to someone.

Sometimes we just want to say, “I agree with you — let’s share this moment.”

It’s less an exchange of information and more of a bonding experience — a process that brings people closer together.

Maybe you want to talk about a person:

Or maybe you want to complain about how terrible the world is:

So true

It means what it says!

When you really, really agree with what someone says (or you want to pretend that you do), then use this!

Indeed

This one also shows strong agreement with someone.

It is — It really is / He does — He really does

This one completely depends on what you’re agreeing on.

So if someone says something like, “He goes a bit weird after too much coffee,” then you can agree with, “He does … he really does!”

Why? Because “He goes …” is in the present simple, so you need to use the correct auxiliary verb in your answer (“does”).

What’s an auxiliary verb?Click for details.

If someone says something like, “We’ll never get there on time!” you can agree with “We won’t! We really won’t!”

See how it works?

Uh huh

This is a good little phrase that you can use to show agreement without interrupting the other person.

Technically speaking, these little phrases are called “back channels,” and we use them all the time. Other examples of back channels are “mmm” and “mm-hmm” and “ahhh.”

Next time you’re listening to people speaking English, try listening to the sorts of back channels they use — it’s fun. Everyone uses slightly different ones.

Totally

This one is strong, but when the person you’re agreeing with says something that you really, really agree with, then it’s time to bring out the big guns and use this one.

Absolutely

“Absolutely” is more or less the same as “totally.”

Yep

This one is particularly informal and not very strong.

So use to agree with those little, everyday observations like, “Oh! It’s raining!” or “Titanic was a bit rubbish, wasn’t it?”

Yeah

“Yeah” is just like “yep,” but feels slightly more friendly.

It’s often said that vowels carry the emotion of a phrase or a sentence, while consonants carry the meaning.

So while “yep” has a short vowel sound and feels quite distant, “yeah” has a long vowel sound and can feel more friendly and human.

My thoughts exactly

It’s a nice phrase, isn’t it?

It basically means “I completely agree with you. You’re right! I think exactly the same way as you!”

Which is nice.

Say “Yes” to an Offer

We also sometimes want to say “yes” in order to accept an offer.

It might be someone offering you some lovely food:

It could be someone offering you something fun:

Or it could be something ridiculously generous:

For sure!

It’s positive! It’s enthusiastic! It’s friendly!

What’s not to like?

Absolutely

This is also rather friendly and enthusiastic.

Yep

As we discussed earlier, “yep” is fine, but it can be a little distant and unfriendly. But if you’re comfortable with the person you’re talking to, then it’s OK.

Yeah

As I mentioned earlier, “yeah” is similar to “yep,” but is more friendly.

And because of that long vowel sound, you can use it to express more emotions.

OK

Simple and to the point.

I’d love to / I’d love some / I’d love one

This is very enthusiastic and shows that you really appreciate whatever it is that you’ve been offered.

But remember: there are different ways to use it.

If someone is offering something that you can do, like “Do you wanna come to mine next weekend? We can play giraffe tennis,” then you probably want to say, “I’d love to!”

But if they’re offering you something physical (usually something you can have), then you’d say “I’d love some!” (for uncountable things, like carrot cake) or “I’d love one!” (for countable things, like a cup of green tea).

If it’s something very specific, like the only sketch of a dog by Picasso in the world, then you’d need to say “I’d love it!”

Why not?

I like the way this one feels.

It’s like you’re saying, “That’s a good idea! I hadn’t thought of it! Let’s do it!”

Confirm a Fact

We also need to say “yes” to let people know that they’ve got something right.

Maybe it’s an interesting fact about yourself:

Or they want to make sure they’ve done something properly:

Or they’re not entirely sure about when you’re planning that massive party on the beach:

That’s right

Simple and to the point!

Correct

Simple, to the point and requires very little effort. It can sound a bit short in some situations.

Yep

We talked about this above. While it’s quite informal, this is not the friendliest phrase. But it’s efficient.

Yeah

Again, this one is like “yep,” but because of the long vowel sound, you can inject more feeling into it.

Try it! There are probably several ways you can say “yeah,” and it could have a slightly different meaning each time depending on how you pronounce the vowel sound (longer, shorter, higher pitched, lower pitched, going up in pitch, going down in pitch, etc.).

Give Permission

And what about when someone asks you for something?

You need to say “yes” then (unless you don’t want to give them what they’re asking for).

A classic example is the seat-on-a-train situation:

Or they might want something you have:

Or it could be a “big ask”:

By all means

This one is particularly polite, but I guess in these situations, being polite is a good idea.

We use language to get past those awkward little situations that come from wanting something from someone else.

Go ahead

This one is quite casual — it’s the sort of phrase I’d use if someone wanted to take the seat next to me on the train.

It only works with requests like “Is it OK if I …” — when someone is asking permission to do something, not when they’re asking for something from you.

Be my guest

Nice, isn’t it?

When someone says this to me, I feel completely at ease.

Again — only use this when someone is asking if it’s OK for them to do something or to take something from you.

Absolutely

This word keeps coming up, doesn’t it?

Well, it’s obviously a very useful one.

Yep

As mentioned above, be careful with this one.

It could seem a little rude in the wrong situation.

Yeah

Again, although this can be quite friendly, make sure you’re not in a situation where you need to be very, very polite.

Fine

Finally, this one is also a bit like “yep” and “yeah” — it’s rather informal and casual.

If you’re giving permission for something small, like opening the window, then it’s … well … it’s fine.

But if someone wants to take you out to the best restaurant in town, then you might want to sound a bit more enthusiastic.

Unless you really don’t like restaurants. In which case, you could always say “no” instead.

Say “Yes” to a Suggestion

Sometimes we want to say “yes” in order to accept a suggestion.

Maybe it’s about what we’re going to have for dinner

Or it could be about what to do:

Sure

It’s another simple and efficient word — not too formal, not too informal.

All right

This one isn’t massively enthusiastic but has a nice, agreeable feeling to it.

Definitely

This one means “That’s a good idea!”

It’s quite enthusiastic and shows that you’re quite strongly interested in the suggestion.

Absolutely

This is more or less the same as “definitely.”

Totally

This one is also similar to “absolutely.”

Feel the energy!

For sure!

Once again — it’s like “totally,” “absolutely” and “definitely.”

Excitement! Energy!

Yeah!

Yep

Here we are again! With “yep” and “yeah.”

As always, “yep” is a little short … a little impolite. But efficient.

Yeah

… and “yeah” is also quite informal but could be more friendly depending on how you say it.

OK

This is like “all right” — it’s agreeable but not very enthusiastic.

Fine

This is similar to “OK.” Save it for the less exciting things in life.

I’d use it for small suggestions, like “Shall we leave in five minutes?” and not for big ones, like “Why don’t we invest the four thousand in the stock market?”

I’d love to

It’s friendly and shows genuine, positive enthusiasm.

So make sure you don’t use it for small things that don’t really make you feel enthusiastic, like “Let’s do the tax returns now, shall we?”

Unless you’re the sort of person with a sense of irony in their humour. In which case, this could be quite a funny phrase to use.

Why not?

I like this one.

It kind of says, “Wow! I hadn’t thought of that, but now that you mention it, I think it’s a great idea!”

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OK — now you have some new and interesting ways to say “yes” in English.

Can you think of any more?

Yes? Let me know in the comments.

Если школьное «Yes, of course» вызывает у вас нервную дрожь, а соглашаться с людьми, тем не менее, как-то надо, самое время посмотреть на другие варианты. Oxford English Dictionary опубликовал в своем блоге статью, где собраны 22 способа сказать «да». Разбираем эти фразы. 

Самое неоригинальное выражение согласия — и в то же время одно из самых старых слов в английском языке. Оно происходит от древнеанглийского gēse, gīse и от не дошедшей до нас фразы, которая означала «это может быть так».

Добавьте в свой ответ нотку архаики. Этот вариант также используется при голосовании в Конгрессе США, так что не только архаики, но и закона.

С OK знакомы даже те, кто говорит на других языках. Некоторые лингвисты полагают, что это словечко — самый значительный вклад Америки в английский язык. Есть несколько версий ее происхождения. Вот одна из самых популярных: OK — это записанное на слух сокращение от all correct (все верно).

Просто шутка. Как «шашлык-машлык». Можно использовать в непринужденной беседе.

Категоричное «да». Буквально это фраза означает «во всех смыслах». Ей в противовес есть by no means (вообще никак, невозможно).

Чтобы не пропускать самые интересные подборки слов и выражений (вроде этой), подпишитесь на канал SM в Яндекс.Дзене.

Немного формальный вариант, но он тоже имеет право на существование. Это слово означает «утвердительный». Часто его используют в контексте. Например: «You answered in the affirmative when I asked about that ice cream» («Вы ответили утвердительно, когда я спрашивал про то мороженое»).

Разговорная фраза, которая пришла в английский с флота. Там бы вы ее скорее услышали в полной версии: «Aye aye, Captain!» («Да, капитан!»).

Тоже разговорный вариант, который пришел от армейцев и силовиков. Когда они переговариваются по радиосвязи, в качестве подтверждения получения информации используют слово Roger.

В реальной жизни часто можно встретить диалоги из серии: «Could you go grab me an ice cream? — Roger!» («Ты не мог бы захватить мне мороженое?» — «Принял!»).

Это тоже из радиосвязи. На языке американских полицейских код 10-4 означает «Сообщение получено».

Звучит как русское «угу» и означает то же самое.

Британский вариант сказать «ладно». Главное — не забыть последнюю букву, а иначе получится «направо»

То же самое, что и very good. Просто спокойное согласие.

Как и yep, это разговорный вариант yes, просто с большей эмоциональной окраской, которую дает взрывной звук p.

Это удлиненный вариант yup (или yeppers для yep). Чаще всего его используют, когда сюсюкаются с детьми.

Реплика, которая выражает стопроцентное согласие с собеседником.

Довольно грубый вариант согласия, который пришел в южно-африканский английский из немецкого. Часто его пишут с буквой h на конце: «Yah!»

Наречие от sure. Оно редко используется как просто выражение согласия. Обычно это слово в контексте: «He surely loves ice-cream» («Он, безусловно, любит мороженое»).

Кто-то из наших соотечественников может увидеть в этом богохульство и оскорбление чувств верующих. А вот американцы вполне могут шутливо согласиться с высказыванием собеседника: «Аминь».

Очень грубый вариант. Вообще shizzle — это эвфемизм для замены слова shit. Вместе с предлогом for он означает что-то вроде «Ну, очевидно!».

Немного высокомерный вариант, который разделяет того, кто соглашается, с тем, кто высказывает утверждение или спрашивает. Но, тем не менее, его вполне допустимо использовать.

Очень популярный вариант согласия в английском. Просто sure — конечно.

Если не брать в расчет вопрос пола, yessir («Да, сэр!») — довольно широко используемый вариант, который несет в себе долю уважения. Или просто стеб.

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Чтобы не только знать слова, но и начать думать на английском, предлагаем прочитать этот текст и следовать нехитрым правилам. А если вы хотите подтянуть английский, записывайтесь на первое бесплатное занятие в онлайн-школу английского языка Skyeng.

В школе можно учить слова с помощью мобильного приложения. Оно позволяет группировать лексику по разным темам и запоминать только те слова, которые вам действительно нужны.

Published October 2, 2018

Yes

Yes is a very old word. It entered English before 900 and comes from the Old English word gese loosely meaning “be it.” Before the 1600s, yes was often used only as an affirmative to a negative question, and yea was used as the all-purpose way to say “yes.”

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Aye

This archaism is still used as the formal response meaning “yes” in the British House of Commons. It is also an accepted substitute for yea in a voice vote in the US House of Representatives.

When it first entered English, it was often spelled I. Etymologists don’t know where it came from, but it appeared suddenly in the late 1500s and is still with us.

Indubitably

The word indubitably, like many words with a negative prefix, comes from its internal root, dubitable. Strangely though, the negative variation has always been more popular than its root.

They both come from the Latin word dubitare meaning “to doubt.”

OK

The origin of this common Americanism has been disputed, but it most likely came from the 1840 American presidential election in which politicos facetiously misspelled all correct as oll korrect and abbreviated it OK. The alternately spelled okay arose in the early 1900s.

There are other apocryphal tales of it coming from military jargon, but we’ll leave those for another day.

Sure

Sure is related to the Old French word of the same spelling which meant “safe” or “secure.” The word was used to mean “safe” until the early 1500s.

In the mid-1500s, sure started to take on senses of “certainly” and “indubitably,” which helped introduce popular phrases such as “to be sure” and “for sure” to English speakers. The common Americanism “sure thing” arose in the 1800s.

Yeah

This common casual variation of yes arose in the early 20th century in America. It is likely a drawled version of its formal cousin. Since the 1980s, its usage has risen dramatically, more than three times its previous usage.

Yay

This possible alternative spelling of yeah appeared in the 1960s and may be a variation on the word hooray. However, it remains the least used among our yes alternatives.

And how!

If the aforementioned yes alternatives are too run-of-the-mill for your tastes, try and how!This Americanism emerged in the 1800s and is used in a number of affirming ways, along the lines of “no mistake, very much so!” “certainly!” and “you bet!”

The English word ‘yes’ is thought to come from the Old English word ‘gēse’, meaning ‘may it be so’, and can be traced back to earlier than the 12th century. In the centuries since, lots of alternatives to the word ‘yes’ have sprung up in the English language, and there are no many meanings for the word ‘yes’ too.

Today we’re going to look at some of the most common alternatives that you can use to express yourself more clearly, and liven up your English language conversations. From formal settings like the workplace, to laid back conversations with your friends, you’ll find that ‘yes’ is a very flexible word that fits into all manner of situations, and its alternatives do too.

Yes can be an answer in response to a question, such as “Have you seen where I put my briefcase?” or “Do you understand?”

The use of ‘yes’ here tends to be very straightforward, with little need for emotion, so some simple alternatives might be:

Certainly
I do or I have

Or you could use the more informal:

Sure
Yep
Yeah

Yep and yeah are very common alternatives to yes, but are only used informally, among people you know well, and they might be frowned upon in formal settings, such as the workplace when you’re speaking to your boss.

Yes can be an answer in response to a request, be it an informal one, such as “Could you pass the butter please?”

Of course
Sure I can!
Yeah
No problem!

Or a more formal one, such as “Please make sure the paperwork is finished for 5 o’clock.”

I will
Definitely
Absolutely
By all means

Yes can be an answer in response to an offer, such as “I’ve got spare tickets to the big game this weekend if you’d like one?” or “I could help you with your homework tonight if you like?”

OK
I’d love that!
You bet!
Alrighty!
Fo sho! – a more informal youth slang meaning for sure, or certainly

Yes can be a word that you use to express your agreement with a positive statement, such as “That was a great evening” or “Wasn’t that a fantastic lunch?”

Yes, it was!
Sure was!
Wasn’t it just!

The above alternatives are all very positive. But here, different levels of enthusiasm can be expressed depending on the alternative ‘yes’ word that you use. Here are some to try depending on how much you agree or disagree with the statement in question:

Totally! – this is a laid back, colloquial alternative to ‘yes’ that originally comes from the teen surfer and skate culture in America. Its use has spread worldwide through movies and music, and is still widely used today, most commonly among younger native English speakers.

Yeah, right… – this one can be used sarcastically, with reference to the above examples, when you actually thought the evening was boring or the lunch was lousy.

Yes can also be asked at the end of a statement to indicate the expectation of agreement. For example: “You got the report handed in on time, yes?”

Correct?

Right? – this is by far the most common alternative to yes that you’ll hear in this context, and you’ll often hear it tacked on to the end of sentences like this.

Yes can be used as a response to someone addressing you or trying to attract your attention. For example: “Oh, Ms. Smith.” “Yes?”

Try the informal:

Uh-huh?
Yep?

Or the more formal:

Yes, what is it?
Yes, what can I do for you?
You called?

Yes can be used to encourage someone to continue speaking. For example in a conversation like this:

Mike: “When you bought those photographs…”

Dave: “Yes?”

Mike: “Did you get them from the shop on the high street?”

Here, Dave is reassuring Mike that he has heard what he is saying, and is encouraging Mike to continue his question. You’ll often hear people saying yes in this context a lot while they are on the phone, or in any kind of conversation. In this context, some alternatives to yes might include:

I hear you – which is more formal, and tends to be used in the workplace as business jargon.

As well as the more informal:

Uh-huh?
Mmm hmm?
Yep?

If you hear someone repeating Uh-huh….uh-huh…. a lot while they’re listening to someone in a conversation this is a sign of a bored and half-hearted yes!

I see – this one would be used when someone is giving you some information rather than asking you a question. For example:

Mike: “There’s a problem with the report…”

Dave: “I see…”

Mike: “…it contains some errors in the last paragraph.”

Yes can also be an exclamation, expressing great pleasure or excitement. For example: “You got tickets for the gig? YES!”

In this case there are lots of alternatives you can use, as there are so many English exclamations to express pleasure. You could try:

Ace!
Brilliant!
Cool!
Hell, yes!

What is your favourite way to say yes? Do you have any other alternatives our online readers might find useful for their language learning? Let us know in the comments below!

Asked by: Kailyn Roberts

Score: 4.8/5
(41 votes)

say yes to

How do you say yes in a formal way?

How to Say Yes in English – Easy English Blog

What can I say instead of OK?

Synonyms & Antonyms of OK

What does achcha mean?

Indian English (also achha) /ˈætʃ.ɑː/ us. /ˈætʃ.ɑː/ used for showing that you agree with something or understand something: Accha, that’s good.

Is sure another word for yes?

Not to be confused with “sure thing” (folksy, casual) or for sure” (loose, stoned), sure is a word that makes my skin prick, my eye twitch. Sure is used as “yes,” though it never means “yes.” Sure is a thumbs up to your face, and a jerkoff motion behind your back.

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