The french word for yes

The French word for “yes” is oui. There are even more ways to say “yes” in French if you are learning the language and want to sound like a native speaker. These ways will surely make you sound like a native French speaker.

When we say ‘yes’ in English, we can replace it with plenty of different words such as ‘yeah’, ‘yep’, ‘okay’, ‘absolutely’, and ‘sure thing’ etc. Just like this, there are different ways to say ‘yes’ in French.

Here is a quick list of ways to say “yes” in French:

– “yes” in French: oui

– “yeah” in French: ouais

– “OK” in French: d’accord or OK (pronounced oké)

– “of course” in French: bien sûr

– “absolutely” in French: absolument

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 “Yes” in French: Oui

French people will respond to your questions with oui, which means “yes”! But did you know that the double oui is also quite popular? To emphasize their affirmative response, the French will say oui, oui.

Consider how you would use “I do” in English when it isn’t necessary: Oui, oui, j’aime ça! (“Yes, I do like it!”).

The meaning of Mais Oui

Mais oui literally translates to “but yes”. This literal translation doesn’t make sense in English.

In most cases, mais oui is an interjection used to say “that’s right” or to highlight the oui. The mais (“but”) in this phrase does not translate into English. For example:

– Mais oui, c’est correct ! – “Yes, that’s right!”

– Mais oui, j’arrive – “Yes, I’m coming.”

“Yeah” in French: Ouais

Consider how frequently you use the word “yes” in English. Then consider how often you say “yeah” on a daily basis. You probably use “yeah” or “yep” more often than “yes” as your go-to lazy yes. In French, you would do the same thing with ouais.

“OK” in French: D’Accord

D’accord literally means “in agreement,” “alright” or “fine”. It is associated with the “proper” side of the French language.

If you are looking for the more common “okay,” look no further than “okay”. Using just ok has become very popular among the French. Oké is how we say it. There are several abbreviations for d’accord, the most common of which is d’acc. D’acc-o-dacc is less commonly used and serves as an additional comical affirmation.

If you are a French learner, you need to learn French grammar to structure your sentences properly. Learning grammar is equally important for both spoken and written French.

“Of Course” in French: Bien Sûr

Bien sûr in English would literally be “well sure” as bien is “good” or “well” and sûr is “sure”. But bien sûr is the French equivalent of “of course”.

Remember to include the circumflex accent on top of the u! Sur without the circumflex accent is “on,” and the phrase would be meaningless. Because it is only an accent, most French people avoid it in texts and messages.  If French is not your first language, people will simply assume you can’t spell the word correctly and will correct you.

“Sure” in French: Pour Sûr

Pour sûr means “for sure” in English. It’s another way of saying sure things. You may not have heard much about pour sûr, and you may be wondering whether you should use it in a casual or formal setting.

While pour sûr is a little too formal for everyday use, it’s also not an expression you’d use in a formal conversation. It’s somewhere in the middle, which is probably why it’s not widely used. If you want to say “sure” as in English, use ouais or OK.

“Absolutely” in French: Absolument

After learning to say “for sure,” you must learn to say “absolutely” in French. You never know how affirmative you will need to be in the future. “Absolutely” is absolument in French. Isn’t it the same as the English word? You’re fortunate because it makes it even easier to remember.

If you are familiar with French grammar, you will recognize the adverb’s construction: adjective (absolu, “absolute”) and the suffix -ment. Cognates are words that are the same in both English and French. You can learn hundreds of French words in this manner. It’s an easy way to expand your French vocabulary.

“It’s Okay” in French: Ça Va or C’est Bon

Some ways to say “it’s okay” in French include ça va or c’est bon. Ça va literally translates to “it goes” in English. It is the short version of ça va bien (“it’s going well”). C’est bon means “it’s good”.

“To Nod” in French: Acquiescer

Sometimes saying “yes” doesn’t even require words. All you have to do is nod! “To nod” is acquiescer in French.

Acquiescer is a member of the first group of common French verbs that end in -er. Because first-group verbs are always regular, acquiescer’s conjugation is straightforward (for French conjugation).

However, keep an eye out for the ç cedilla. It appears before the vowels a, o, and u but not e and I because they already soften the c. This is why there is no ç in the acquiescer infinitive.

“Thumbs-Up” in French

A lot of our communication as humans depends on body language, so it only makes sense that we have more than one gesture to show that we’re saying “yes”. If nodding isn’t your thing, you probably prefer using the “thumbs-up” sign to indicate yes. A “thumbs-up” in French is un pouce levé.

Surprisingly, the pouce levé is also known as the le pouce anglais (“English thumb”). The pouce  (“thumb-down”), on the other hand, is also known as *le pouce allemand (“German thumb”). It is also known as the pouce levé a pouce en haut or pouce vers le haut by some French people.

Other ways to say “Yes” in French

Here are a few more ways to say yes without actually saying “yes” in French:

– Affirmatif – “affirmative”

– Compte sur moi – “count on me”

– Comptez sur moi – formal or plural “count on me”

– Ça roule – “okay” or “smooth”, literally “it rolls” (familiar expression)

– Ça marche – “okay” or “smooth”, literally “it walks” (familiar expression)

Frequently asked questions

Q. What is Ma Oui in French?

A. This expression means “yes” or “obviously.” It is a synonym of bien sûr!

Q. Do the French say yay?

A. Ouah is French for “yes” when you are extra happy and enthusiastic. You could translate it as “Yes!” or “Yay!”

Q. What is the neutral way of saying ‘yes’ in French?

A. “D’accord” is the French equivalent of “alright”. D’accord can be formal or informal, making it a great alternative to oui.

Final words

You now understand how to say “yes” in French like a native speaker. Nobody will ever catch you off guard again. Are you happy? Oui! Do you have confidence in your knowledge of French words for “yes”? Bien sûr! Are you ready to continue your French studies?

Absolument!

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If
you spend some time in France or do a lot of reading or listening in French,
you’ll notice that the French don’t always answer “oui” when you ask
them a question.

Instead,
they might use the equivalent of “of course”, “yup” or “maybe”, or
expressions like “Of course”, “I agree,” and “That’s it precisely.”  There’s even a way to say “yes” in French
when you’re confirming a negative statement.

Let’s take a look at an impressive 28 different ways to say “yes” in French!

The typical yes

A simple “Oui” is the most standard, basic, and neutral affirmative reply in French.

Oui has a long and fascinating history, and is the winner of a
long-running linguistic battle. By the Middle Ages, French had evolved into
numerous dialects that were essentially mutually unintelligible. But you could
group them into three major categories: the langues d’oïl, the langues
d’oc, and other dialects.  Oïl and
oc refer to how speakers of these dialects said the word “yes”.

Over time, since it was spoken in
Paris, the royal city, the langue d’oïl became the dominant dialect. Oui
is the modern French evolution of the word oïl.

Oui is also a good word to know for romantics. In a traditional
French wedding ceremony, the bride and groom answer Oui, je le veux
(Yes, I want this (marriage, life together, etc.)). 

You can use oui in just about
any situation where an affirmative response is required. It’s a neutral
expression, so there’s no sense of it being particularly formal or informal. If you want to make it sound especially polite or
respectful, you can add something to it.

For example:

Oui, madame/monsieur. (Yes, ma’am/sir.)

Oui, s’il vous plait. (Yes, please.)

The
contradiction yes

“Si” is
what I like to call the contradiction yes.

The French use si to
contradict negative questions and statements in both formal and informal
situations.

For example:

Tu n’as jamais visité Nantes, n’est-ce pas ?

Si, l’année dernière.

You’ve never been to Nantes, right?

Yes, I have, last year.

While si is used in France
and by French-speakers in other European countries,
many sources, including this
one, point out that si isn’t
used as an affirmation of a negative statement in Canada or in African
Francophone countries. Canadians just say oui, while many African
Francophone speakers would answer a question like this with non.

So, for a Canadian, the answer to
the question in the example dialogue above would be Oui, l’année dernière.

For African Francophone speakers,
the answer would be Non, l’année dernière – or maybe to clarify (as an
English-speaker would do if they answered “no” to affirm a question), Non,
j’ai visité Nantes l’année dernière.

The neutral
yes

“D’accord” is
the French equivalent of “alright”.

If you break it down, this makes
sense, since the word “accord” in both English and French implies agreement.

D’accord can be formal or informal, making it a great alternative to oui.

In addition to a stand-alone
response, it’s also used in the expression “être d’accord” (to agree).

For
example :

On se voit demain ?

D’accord !

Shall we get together tomorrow?

Alright!

Je suis d’accord avec toi, les chatons sont plus mignons que les chiots.

I agree with you, kittens are cuter than puppies.

The casual yes

“Ça marche” is
a casual way to say “It’s/That’s ok for me” in French. It literally translates
to “That works”.

It’s an informal expression, so you
can basically use it with anyone you are on a “tu” basis with. 

You could also use the less common
“Ça roule” (literally: “It/That rolls”) instead. This expression is the rough
equivalent of “That’s cool.”

Sometimes people add “ma poule” (literally:
“my chicken”) to the end: Ça roule, ma poule. This is a bit outdated and
funny – think of it like “okey dokey” in English –  so if you want a serious reaction, don’t add ma
poule.

Examples:

Je passe te chercher à 14 heures lundi.

Ça marche.

I’ll pick you up at 2PM on Monday.

Ok/Alright/That works for me.

Je passe te chercher à 14 heures lundi.

Ça roule.

I’ll pick you up at 2PM on Monday.

Cool.

The obvious
answer “yes”

If a person asks you something to
which the answer seems obvious, you could answer:

Bien sûr (Of
course)

Evidemment (Obviously/Clearly)

You can use bien sûr in any
situation, but évidemment is better suited to formal situations.

Tu aimes le chocolat ?
Bien sûr/Évidemment.

The
unconvinced yes

Your friend absolutely wants to
introduce you to someone, but you’d rather stay at home. The conversation could
go something like this:

Ça va être génial, tu verras.

It’s gonna be great, you’ll see.

Mouais…

Mm yeah/Yeah, okay, whatever…

As you might have guessed, mouais
is a portmanteau of hum (um) and ouais (yeah). 

In some cases, it implies being
bored or unimpressed, as well as unconvinced.
You can see this usage in this review of a restaurant,
entitled “mouais bof” — the equivalent of “Meh” (not great or exciting)
in English.

Note that mouais is extremely
informal and could come off as rude if you use it in professional occasions or
with a stranger. It should only be used with friends or people you can be
casual around. Even then, if the person is talking about something they’re
serious or passionate about, responding “Mouais” would probably come off
as mean. 

The “Where do
I sign?” yes

Sometimes an opportunity comes
up that’s so exciting that you wish you could say “yes” even before the person
is done talking. That’s when you can use “carrément” in
French.  It’s the equivalent of
“Absolutely!” in English.

But you should only use it in
informal situations.

Example:

Ça te dirait de visiter Costa Rica cet été ?

Carrément.

Want to go to Costa Rica this summer?

Absolutely.

Note that in addition to its affirmative use, carrément is an adverb that means “totally/straight/straight up/dead”. You can see the different ways it’s used in this context, here.

The “I agree”
yes

If you’re happy to do something, but
can’t use the casual carrément because you’re in a formal or
professional setting, you can opt for one of these variations instead:

Volontiers (Gladly/Willingly. Note the
connection of this word with la volonté (will))

Avec plaisir (With pleasure)

Certainement (Certainly)

Example:

Je vous sers un café ?

Volontiers.

Would you like some coffee?

Gladly.

The irritated
yes

Here are two useful expressions you
can use if someone asks you an irritating question:

Mais oui  (Yes, of course)

Ben oui (sometimes written as Bah oui)
(Uh, yeah)

While mais oui translates
directly to “but yes” – in other words, “Yes, of course”, ben or bah are
phonetic representations of the sound French people make when they say the
equivalent of “um” or “uh”. 

Although it usually shows irritation
or annoyance, you may hear Mais oui used in sort of playful way, for
example, in a commercial if someone can’t believe a deal they’re getting: Un
iPhone X pour seulement 700 euros? – Mais oui!

Ben oui/Bah oui, on the other hand, denotes a certain sloppiness,
disrespect, or extreme casualness, so even if you’re not intending to say it in
an irritated way, never use this expression in formal or professional
situations.

Always keep in mind that these two
ways to say yes in French could easily be considered rude!

Here’s an example with each
expression:

Tu as fait tes devoirs ?

Mais oui, je te l’ai déjà dit trois fois !

You did your homework, right?

Yes, I already told you (I did) three times!

or

Tu as fait tes devoirs ?

Ben oui, je te l’ai déjà dit trois fois !

You did your homework, right?

Duh. I told you I did it three times already!

The genetically
modified yes

Ouais is the “yeah” to oui’s “yes”.In
other words, ouais means exactly the same thing as oui, but it’s
much more informal.

Ouais

It’s so informal, in fact, that some
people may be irritated if you use it with them.

Similar to ouais is ouaip
– the equivalent of the English “yep.”

Ouaip

Like ouais, ouaip is
very informal and could be considered rude if you’re talking to someone in a
professional or formal setting.

Ouais and ouaip are two awesome additions to your oui
toolbox, but remember that to only use them with people you’re close to, that
is with people you use tu with.

Even then, some of those people
might not like these words. My five-year-old
son, for example, often says ouais with his great-aunts and -uncles, and
many of them correct him and make him say oui instead.

Here’s an example of a dialogue with
ouais :

Tu es fatigué ?

Ouais, je me suis couché tard hier.

Are you tired?

Yeah, I went to bed late last night.

Good to know: If you’re excited about something, you can shout “Ouais !”, since this is the equivalent of “Yesss!” in English. Like “Yesss!”, remember that Ouais!  is still informal.

In Canadian French, the phonetic
spelling of the informal way everyday people say “Yeah” is usually written as ouain
or ouin (note that this latter is also the
sound of a baby crying in French, which might be confusing in some contexts…).

The “That’s
right” yes

When you want to confirm that what
someone says is correct, you can use
one of these (rather formal) words:

Exactement (Exactly)

Tout à fait (That’s right/Precisely)

En effet (Indeed)

Example:

Vous êtes bien Monsieur Durand ?

Tout à fait.

You are Monsieur Durand, right?

That’s right.

The
intellectual yes

If you’re reading an academic paper,
article, or literary text in French, you might come across this little word: certes.  Depending on the exact phrasing, certes
can translate to “certainly,” “admittedly,” “of course,” and “To be sure”.

Although it’s not commonly used in
everyday spoken French, it pops up in formal speeches, intellectual debates,
and academic lectures. And you’ll also see it in formal or academic writing. So,
you could say that certes is a common way to affirm a fact or idea when
it comes to brainy subjects (and speakers).

For example:

Certes, Louis XVI n’était pas cruel, mais ce n’était pas un bon roi.

Admittedly, Louis XVI wasn’t cruel, but he wasn’t a good king.

The “perfect” yes

Sometimes, you may want to say that
something is perfect. In this case, you can use:

Parfait (Perfect)

Très bien (Excellent)

Oui merci (Yes, thank you)

All of these expressions can be used in either formal or informal situations, so when you feel inspired to reply with one of them, you can do so without fear!  In extremely formal situations, though, I would suggest adding merci to the end of Parfait.

Example:

Votre chambre vous convient-elle ?

Oui merci/ oui c’est parfait / oui c’est très bien.

Is your room all right?

Yes, thank you/Yes, it’s perfect/Yes, it’s excellent.

The happy yes

A common way to say “yes” in French is simply to say avec plaisir (literally: with pleasure.) Think of avec plaisir as the equivalent of “gladly.”

Une piza ce soir, ça te tente? (What about a pizza tonight?)

Avec plaisir ! (gladly!)

If you want to sound more formal, you can also say volontiers or even avec joie (literally: with joy). Keep in mind that the latter can easily sound mocking if said in the wrong context so make sure you only use it when you are genuinely delighted with an offer and want to enthusiastically say “yes”.

Do the French always say “yes”?

We’ve just seen that there are at least 28 ways to say “yes” in French. I say “at least” because individual regions and groups may have others, and there’s new slang coming out all the time that might include some additional forms of affirmative replies. When you think of it that way, the choices for how to say “yes” in French are practically infinite!

Interestingly, though, on the whole,
the French aren’t exactly the most affirmative, willing people. In fact, a big
part of French
culture is contestation, refusal, and intellectual debate. The French refusal
to just say oui to everything is very apparent when you live in France:
there are frequently strikes in just about every professional sector
imaginable!

According
to this fascinating article, saying “no” is ingrained
in French people from childhood, and is at the root of why si exists in
French spoken in France, but not in certain other more “yes”-oriented
Francophone cultures. 

Now that you know a myriad of fun
and exciting ways to say “yes” in French, pick your favorite from this list and
try to use it with your conversation partner! You’ll
immediately sound more French.

And if you’re also not one to agree with everything, click here to discover 13 ways to say “no” in French!

How do you say yes in French?

It’s hard to believe how many different ways there are to say yes in French. But depending on how exactly you use the word yes in French can completely change its meaning. 

When I first moved to France, I had studied French in high school and college, but none of my textbooks taught me the variability and nuance of the word yes. Of course, I knew the translation of yes in French to be oui, but I didn’t learn other versions like ouais, ouaip, and mouais.  

But, whether you’ve never spoken a word of French in your life or you’re further along in your French-learning journey, you’ve definitely seen oui somewhere. From brand names to t-shirts, the word oui can be seen around the world.

Origins of the word “oui”

But, as soon as you step into a French-speaking country you’ll be amazed by how many different ways you can say oui. The word yes in French has transformed over the centuries and was actually originally written as oïl in old French. It came from the Latin word hoc ille, which meant “this he did/said.”

Today ouais, ouaip, and ouaiche are all different forms of oui, which we’ll dive into soon. This list will include French phrases that include the word oui. But, I’ll also dive into French words and phrases that don’t contain the word oui, but either translate to “yes” in English or translate to common “yes” synonyms.  

Easy Ways to Say Yes in French

Before we explore some of the more unique ways to say yes in French, let’s get started with some of the easiest ways.

Oui

Oui is definitely the most popular translation of “yes” in French. It is also one of the most versatile. 

You can use oui in formal and informal situations. You can also use it with friends as well as strangers. 

Example:

Est-ce qu’on a du lait ? Do we have milk ?

Oui. Yes. 

Ouais

Ouais is another way to say “yes” in French and translates very similarly to “yeah” in English. Not quite French slang, but this form of yes is something you’ll commonly hear among the young. 

This is definitely an informal form of oui so I wouldn’t say it in formal situations. French teachers can definitely get frustrated with students that say ouais. And strangers could be put off by your casual manner if you use ouais with them.

Example: 

Tu veux prendre un café à 14h ? Do you want to get a coffee at 2 o’clock? 

Ouais, j’aimerais bien. Yes, I’d like that. 

Ouaip/ouep

Ouiap or ouep are two different spellings of the French word “yep.” Similar to ouais, the word ouiap is a more informal version of oui. 

You can use this word in many of the same situations as ouias, but ouiap is usually used on its own. Ouais can be used on its own as well, but it can be used to start a sentence whereas ouaip will almost always exist on its own. 

Example:

Est-ce que tu aimes le chocolat ? Do you like choclate? 

Ouaip ! Yep!

Mouais

This form of yes in French is one of my favorites. It’s similar to ouais except for you keep your lips together for an “m” sound at the beginning. 

There are two main ways to use mouais in French. The first way is to use it when you’re not very enthusiastic about something.

Example:

Est-ce que tu veux aller à la plage demain ? Do you want to go to the beach tomorrow? 

Mouais, pas vraiment. Yeah, not really. 

But, the second is used when you’re not sure you believe something.

Example: 

Je vais t’acheter un cadeau demain. I’m going to buy you a present tomorrow. 

Mouais…. Sure…

Si

If you’ve ever taken a Spanish class, the French word si might take some getting used to. In French, the word si means yes, but only when responding to a negative question or statement. 

It’s a little tricky, but si is basically a stronger form of oui used to disagree with or correct someone. Let’s go through a few examples for this one. 

Example:

L’Espagne n’est pas en Europe. Spain isn’t in Europe. 

Si ! Yes it is.  

Tu n’habites pas à Paris, n’est-ce pas ? You don’t live in Paris, right?

Si ! Yes I do. 

Oui, s’il vous plaît. 

Oui, s’il vous plaît is how you say yes please in French. You can use this in all types of formal situations where you’d like to be polite. 

You can also drop the oui and simply say s’il vous plaît, which is also a polite way of saying yes. 

Example:

Est-ce que vous aimeriez la carte des desserts ? Would you like the dessert menu?

S’il vous plaît. Please. 

Yes in French Phrases

Now that we’ve talked about some of the most common translations of “yes” in French, let’s go over some French phrases with the word oui. This is where you’ll see how placing the word oui with other words can change its meaning. 

• Oh que oui !

This is one of my favorite ways to agree with someone in French. Oh que oui is similar to “oh yeahhh” in English or “totally.” 

Example:

On va bien manger ce soir. We’re going to eat well tonight.

Oh que oui ! Oh yeahhh we are. 

Ah ça oui.

This phrase is used when you want to agree enthusiastically to something. It can either be used to agree with one option or another or just a single option.

If that doesn’t make it totally clear, here’s an example:

Elle est très depensière. She is a big spender.

Ah ça oui. Tu peux dire ça. Oh yeah, you can say that.

• Ah oui ! 

Ah oui means “oh yes” in French. The French use it when you remember something or when you’re excited about something.

You might also hear “Ah oui !” be shouted out in a sport’s bar if someone’s team wins or finds something interesting or surprising.

Example:

Est-ce que tu sais où tu as laissé tes clés ? Do you know where you left the keys? 

Elles ne sont pas dans ma poche ? They’re not in my pocket?

Non. No.

Ah oui ! Ils sont sur le frigo. Oh yes, they’re on top of the fridge.

Oh oui

Similar to ah oui, oh oui can mean “oh yes” or “oh yeah.” Oh oui can also be used when you remember something or in the place of “oh right.” It’s also used to enthusiastically agree about something. 

Mangeons de pizza ce soir. Let’s eat pizza tonight. 

Oh oui, faisons ça. Oh yes, let’s do that. 

Oui, chef!

Yes sir and yes ma’am definitely aren’t as common as they are in the United States. But, yes sir/ma’am does exist in French and it translates to oui, chef. Chef means “boss” so this isn’t something you’d say to your father or mother. It’s rather something you’d use either ironically with your friends or in a really formal setting. Oui, chef is how you say yes sir in the French army. 

Example:

Wife: Est-ce que tu peux faire la vaisselle avant ce soir ? Can you do the dishes before tonight? 

Husband: Oui, chef! Yes, sir/ma’am. 

Ma foi, oui. 

Ma foi, oui is an outdated way to say “yes, why not?

You might also hear it shortened to simply ma foi, which just means “why not?,” but translates directly to “my faith.” 

Since it’s a little outdated you might only hear older generations use it. But, sometimes younger people will use it ironically. 

Est-ce que tu veux un café ? Do you want a coffee?

Ma foi, oui. Why not?  

Mon cul, oui.

Despite its similar sentence structure, mon cul, oui is not at all similar to ma fois, oui. In French, mon cul, oui is an expression of denial, opposition, or doubt.

It literally means “my a**, yes” and can translate as “no way,” “never” or “yeah right.” Similar to how you wouldn’t say a** in front of your grandmother, cul isn’t a word you should repeat in front of just anyone.

Example:

L’Italie va gagner la coupe de rugby cette année. Italy is going to win the rugby cup this year. 

Mon cul, oui. Yeah, right.

Ben, oui

Ben, oui is something you’ll hear pretty often from the French. It’s used similarly to “duh” or “doy” or “uh, yeah.” 

You’ll basically use it when someone tells you something that is already obvious.

Example:

Un plus un fait deux. One plus one is two.

Ben, oui. Duh. 

Oui, oui

The French use oui, oui, to show frustration or to show you already know something. It’s pretty much used exactly like “yes, yes.”

Il faut juste attendre dix minutes. You just have to wait ten minutes.

Oui, oui. Yes, yes. 

• Eh bien oui ! 

Eh bien is actually a common phrase on its own and can mean “well” or “so.” When combined with oui, it means “well, yes” or “so, yes.” 

Example:

Tu penses que j’ai beaucoup de travail aujourd’hui ? Eh bien oui, j’en ai. You think I have a lot of work today? Well yes I do. 

Mais oui. 

Mais oui is definitely a phrase you will hear in French. It means “obviously” and “yes” and is used in informal situations. But it translates directly to “But, yes.”

The word but in French can be used in a few ways, but here you’ll usually use it when you’re agreeing with someone.

Je préfère les montagnes que la plage. I prefer the mountains over the beach. 

Mais oui, moi aussi! Yes, me too!

Eh, oui. 

Eh, oui is a French phrase which places emphasis on the “yes.” But, specifically, it places emphasis on the certain emotion you’re saying that yes with. It could be anger, compassion, or insistence.  

It can be directly translated to “oh yes!”

Example:

Est-ce que je suis vraiment obligé d’aller à l’école aujourd’hui ? Do I really have to go to school today?

Eh, oui ! Oh yes you do. 

Est-ce que tu est embêté ? Are you annoyed?

Eh, oui, je suis embêté ! Oh yes, I am annoyed!

Oui, en effet.

This is a rather formal way of saying yes in French. You can use oui, en effet to mean “yes indeed.” It’s often used in university or business settings.

Est-ce que c’est vrai que George Washington était le premier président américain ? Is it true that George Washington was the first American president?

Oui, en effet. Yes indeed. 

Oui-da

If you remember ma foi, oui, oui-da is another outdated way to say yes in French. It translates to “yes indeedy” or “you bet.” 

It’s pretty rare to hear nowadays, but you might come across someone who just loves to say oui-da. P.S. It can also be written as oui-dà. 

Est-ce que vous pouvez m’aider ? Can you help me?

Oui-da. Yes indeedy. 

Other ways to say yes in French

No matter what language you speak, you know there are many ways to respond affirmatively to a question or statement besides “yes.” Well, the same is true in French. Below you’ll find a list of other ways to say yes in French: 

• Carrément – hell yes!
• Certes – certainly (very formal)
• Bien sûr – of course
• OK – okay 
• Tout à fait – indeed
• Absolument – absolutely 
• Assurément – without a doubt
• D’accord – okay
• Parfait – perfect
• Je t’en pris/Je vous en pris – by all means
• Sans aucun doute – definitely 
• Certainement – certainly 
• À vos ordres – aye-aye
• Affirmatif – affirmative (formal and mostly used in the army)

Any student of French, whether class-taught or self-taught, knows how to say yes: oui (pronounced like «we» in English). But there are some secrets to be revealed about this simple French word if you want to speak like a French native.

Yes, I do. Yes, I am. Yes, I can…Just «oui» in French

Saying yes looks pretty straightforward.

— Tu aimes le chocolat? Do you like chocolate?
— Oui. Yes, I do.

However, things are not as easy as they seem. In English, you would not answer this question simply by saying «yes.» You’d say: «yes I do.»

It’s a mistake I hear all the time, especially with my beginner French students. They answer «oui, je fais», or «oui, j’aime.» But «oui» is self-sufficient in French. You may repeat the whole sentence:

— oui, j’aime le chocolat.

Or just say «oui.» It’s good enough in French. 

Ouais: the informal French yes

When hearing French people speak, you’ll hear this one a lot. 

— Tu habites en France? Do you live in France?
— Ouais, j’habite à Paris. Yep, I live in Paris.

It’s pronounced like «way» in English. «Ouais» is the equivalent of yep. We use it all the time. I’ve heard French teachers say it was vulgar. Well, maybe fifty years ago. But not anymore. I mean, it’s definitely casual French, just like you wouldn’t say yep in English in every situation…

Mouais: showing little enthusiasm

A variation of «ouais» is «mouais» to show that you are not too crazy about something.

— Tu aimes le chocolat?
— Mouais, en fait, pas trop. Yeah, in fact, not that much.

Mouais: showing doubt

Another version is «mmmmouais» with a doubtful expression. This is more like: yeah, you’re right, said ironically. It means you doubt the person is saying the truth. 

— Tu aimes le chocolat?
— Non, je n’aime pas beaucoup ça. No, I don’t like it a lot.
— Mouais… tout le monde aime le chocolat. Je ne te crois pas. Right… everybody likes chocolate. I don’t believe you.

Si: but yes I do (although you said I didn’t)

«Si» is another French word to say yes, but we only use it in a very specific situation. To contradict someone who made a statement in the negative form.

— Tu n’aimes pas le chocolat, n’est-ce pas? You don’t like chocolate, right?
— Mais, bien sûr que si! J’adore ça! But, of course I do! I love that!

The key here is the statement in the negative. We don’t use «si» for «yes» otherwise. Now, «si» is yes in other languages, such as Spanish and Italian. How confusing!

Mais oui

This is the typical French sentence: «mais oui… sacrebleu…blah blah blah»…
I really don’t know why. I promise you French people don’t say «mais oui» all the time… «Mais oui» is actually quite strong. It means: but yes, of course, it’s obvious, isn’t it? It’s often used when you’re annoyed.

— Tu aimes le chocolat? 
— Mais oui! Je te l’ai déjà dit mille fois! YES! I already told you a thousand times!

Now, let’s see how to say «no» in French.