When someone asks you a question in French, how do you usually respond to say 'sure' or 'of course'? While 'bien sûr' is a fantastic and widely understood option, the French language, like any other, offers a rich tapestry of expressions to convey agreement, certainty, or willingness.

Knowing these alternatives can make your conversations sound much more natural and nuanced, allowing you to express different shades of 'sure' depending on the context.

Ready to expand your French vocabulary and sound more like a native speaker? Let's dive into 9 different ways to say 'sure' in French!

The direct translation for 'sure' or 'certain' – sûr/sûre

The most direct and common translation for 'sure' or 'certain' in French is sûr/sûre.

Like many French adjectives, sûr changes its ending to agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies or the subject it refers to. You'll encounter it in these forms: sûr - masculine singular (e.g., Il est sûr. - He is sure.) sûre - feminine singular (e.g., Elle est sûre. - She is sure.) sûrs - masculine plural (e.g., Ils sont sûrs. - They are sure.) sûres - feminine plural (e.g., Elles sont sûres. - They are sure.)

Its primary function is to express certainty or conviction about something. When you want to say you are 'sure' or 'certain' of a fact, an event, or an opinion, sûr is the word to use.

A very common construction you'll hear is être sûr(e) de (to be sure of). This is used when you are certain of something or about something. For example, Je suis sûr de ma réponse. (I am sure of my answer.)

Beyond certainty, sûr can also mean 'safe' or 'secure'. This usage is often found when describing places, objects, or situations. For instance, C'est un endroit sûr. (It's a safe place.) or Il est en lieu sûr. (He is in a safe place.)

As an adjective, sûr typically follows the noun it describes, agreeing in gender and number. Une valeur sûre (a safe bet/reliable value), un chemin sûr (a safe path).

You'll frequently encounter the idiomatic expression bien sûr, which translates to 'of course' or 'naturally'. It's a very common way to express agreement or confirmation. Tu viens ? Bien sûr ! (Are you coming? Of course!)

While related, it's important not to confuse sûr (adjective) with sûrement (adverb), which means 'surely' or 'probably'. Il est sûrement en retard. (He is probably late.) Sûr describes a state of being certain, while sûrement describes the likelihood of an action or event.

When used in the negative, pas sûr(e) means 'not sure' or 'uncertain'. However, the phrase Ce n'est pas sûr can also imply 'it's not safe' or 'it's not guaranteed', depending on the context. Pay attention to the surrounding words to grasp the exact meaning.

💡 *Je suis sûr que tu vas réussir. (I am sure you will succeed.)
*Elle n'est pas sûre de sa décision. (She is not sure about her decision.)
*C'est un investissement sûr. (It's a safe/secure investment.)
*Bien sûr, je t'aiderai. (Of course, I will help you.)
*Nous sommes sûrs d'avoir fermé la porte. (We are certain we closed the door.)

The common way to say 'of course' – bien sûr

The common way to say ‘of course’ – bien sûr

When you want to express agreement, confirm something obvious, or simply say ‘of course’ in French, the most common and natural phrase you'll hear is bien sûr.

Literally, bien sûr breaks down into bien (well) and sûr (sure or certain). So, you're essentially saying 'well sure' or 'quite certain,' which perfectly conveys the meaning of 'of course' in English.

You'll use bien sûr in everyday conversations to affirm something confidently. It's suitable for most situations, from casual chats with friends to more formal discussions, making it incredibly versatile.

The beauty of bien sûr lies in its flexibility. Depending on your tone, it can convey simple agreement, strong affirmation, or even a hint of playful exasperation if something is very obvious. It's rarely sarcastic in a negative way, but can be used humorously.

While bien sûr often stands alone as a response, it can also be integrated into sentences. It typically follows the verb or appears at the beginning or end of a clause, adding clarity or emphasis to your statement.

💡 * Tu viens à la fête ce soir ? – Bien sûr !

• Bien sûr, je t'aiderai avec tes devoirs.
• Il est français, bien sûr qu'il parle français !
• C'est une bonne idée, bien sûr.

Another direct translation for 'certain' – certain/certaine

Another direct translation for “certain” is, unsurprisingly, certain or certaine in French.

Like its English counterpart, certain/certaine can mean 'sure' or 'confident' when referring to a person's state of mind. In this sense, it usually comes after the verb 'être' (to be) or another state verb.

However, certain/certaine has a second, crucial meaning that depends on its placement. When placed before a noun, it means 'a certain' or 'some unspecified' – indicating an indefinite quantity or quality.

As an adjective, certain/certaine must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies or the subject it describes. The forms are: certain (masc. sing.), certaine (fem. sing.), certains (masc. plural), certaines (fem. plural).

The position of certain/certaine is vital for understanding its meaning. After the noun or verb 'être', it means 'sure'; before the noun, it means 'a certain' or 'some'.

While placement is a strong indicator, as with many French adjectives, context will always be your best guide to discerning whether someone is 'sure' or referring to 'a certain' unspecified thing.

💡 * Je suis certain qu'il viendra. (I am certain he will come.)

• J'ai une certaine idée de ce qu'il faut faire. (I have a certain idea of what needs to be done.)
• Certains jours, je me sens fatigué. (Certain days, I feel tired.)
• Il y a une certaine élégance dans son style. (There is a certain elegance in her style.)
• Es-tu certaine de ta réponse ? (Are you certain of your answer?)

To express 'absolutely' – absolument

The French adverb absolument directly translates to 'absolutely' in English. It's a highly versatile word used to express strong agreement, certainty, or necessity.

One of the most common uses of absolument is to convey emphatic agreement, similar to saying 'definitely' or 'yes, absolutely' in English. It can stand alone as a strong affirmation.

When paired with verbs or used in certain contexts, absolument can also indicate necessity or obligation, meaning 'it's absolutely necessary' or 'you must absolutely' do something.

To express a strong negative, absolument is used with ne...pas to form absolument pas ('absolutely not'). It can also intensify adjectives or adverbs, making a statement stronger.

💡 * Absolument ! (Absolutely!)

• Il faut absolument que nous partions. (We absolutely must leave.)
• Je n'ai absolument aucune idée. (I absolutely have no idea.)
• C'est absolument magnifique ! (It's absolutely magnificent!)

To express 'evidently' or 'obviously' – évidemment

To express 'evidently' or 'obviously' in French, you'll use the versatile adverb évidemment.

Évidemment directly translates to 'evidently' or 'obviously' and functions to confirm something that is clear, self-evident, or universally understood.

You'll use évidemment when a fact is undeniable, a conclusion is logical, or when you want to emphasize that something is a matter of common knowledge or expectation. It implies a sense of 'of course' or 'it goes without saying'.

As an adverb, évidemment can be placed at various points in a sentence. Most commonly, it appears at the beginning of a sentence, or after the conjugated verb in simple tenses, or between the auxiliary and past participle in compound tenses.

Beyond its literal meaning, évidemment can add a subtle layer of emphasis, sometimes even carrying a slightly rhetorical tone, suggesting that the listener should already know or agree with what is being stated. It's often used to reinforce a point.

💡 * Tu viens à la fête ce soir ? Évidemment !

• Il est évidemment fatigué après une longue journée.
• Évidemment, nous devons suivre les règles.
• C'est évidemment la meilleure solution.

To say 'without a doubt' – sans aucun doute

To express absolute certainty in French, the phrase sans aucun doute is your go-to. It directly translates to 'without any doubt' or 'without a doubt,' and is widely used across various registers of speech.

This phrase is perfect for situations where you want to convey strong conviction or agreement. The word aucun (any/no) intensifies the negation, making the certainty absolute. It leaves no room for ambiguity.

Sans aucun doute is an adverbial phrase, meaning it can be quite flexible in its placement within a sentence. You'll often find it at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end, depending on what you want to emphasize.

While sans doute (without doubt) can also mean 'probably' or 'likely,' sans aucun doute specifically means 'without a doubt' or 'undoubtedly,' expressing a higher, unequivocal level of certainty. Be mindful of this subtle but important difference.

💡 * Sans aucun doute, c'est la meilleure solution.

• Il est sans aucun doute le candidat idéal.
• Elle a réussi l'examen sans aucun doute.
• C'est, sans aucun doute, le plus beau paysage que j'aie jamais vu.

Another way to say 'of course' or 'naturally' – bien entendu

While bien sûr is the most common way to say 'of course' in French, you can also use the phrase bien entendu.

Bien entendu literally translates to 'well heard' or 'well understood', and conveys the meaning of 'naturally', 'evidently', or 'it goes without saying'.

It's largely interchangeable with bien sûr and can add a touch of formality or emphasis, implying that the statement is self-evident or universally acknowledged.

💡 * Bien entendu, je t'aiderai si tu as besoin. (Of course, I will help you if you need.)

• Le musée est gratuit aujourd'hui, bien entendu. (The museum is free today, naturally.)
• Elle a réussi son examen, bien entendu, elle avait beaucoup étudié. (She passed her exam, naturally, she had studied a lot.)
• Nous serons là à 8h, bien entendu. (We will be there at 8 AM, of course.)

To express 'certainly' or 'definitely' – certainement

The French adverb certainement directly translates to 'certainly' or 'definitely' in English. It's a versatile word used to express conviction, assurance, or strong agreement.

Like many adverbs of manner, certainement typically follows the conjugated verb in simple tenses (e.g., Je viendrai certainement - I will certainly come). In compound tenses, it usually comes after the auxiliary verb (e.g., J'ai certainement oublié - I certainly forgot).

You'll often hear certainement used to add emphasis or to confirm a statement, making it more assertive. It conveys a strong sense of conviction from the speaker.

💡 * Il viendra certainement nous voir demain. (He will certainly come to see us tomorrow.)

• Elle a certainement raison. (She is certainly right.)
• Nous avons certainement fait le bon choix. (We definitely made the right choice.)
• C'est certainement la meilleure solution. (That is certainly the best solution.)

To confirm agreement or say 'okay' – d'accord

The most common and versatile way to say “okay,” “agreed,” or to confirm understanding in French is with the phrase d'accord.

D'accord literally translates to “of agreement.” It serves as a fundamental expression to signify consent, comprehension, or simply to acknowledge something has been said.

You can use d'accord as a question, often with a rising intonation, to ask “Okay?”, “Understood?”, or “Do you agree?” For example, “On se retrouve à 18h, d'accord?” (We'll meet at 6 PM, okay?).

To confirm agreement or understanding, you simply respond with D'accord. This can mean “Okay,” “Agreed,” “I understand,” or “That's fine.” It's a quick and common way to acknowledge information.

For more explicit statements of agreement, you can use the verb phrase être d'accord (to be in agreement, to agree). For instance, “Je suis d'accord avec toi” (I agree with you).

💡 * On part à huit heures, d'accord? (We leave at eight, okay?)

• D'accord, je comprends. (Okay, I understand.)
• Tu es d'accord avec ma proposition? (Do you agree with my proposal?)
• Oui, je suis tout à fait d'accord. (Yes, I completely agree.)
• Il n'est pas d'accord pour la réunion. (He doesn't agree to the meeting.)

Are there other ways to say 'sure' in French?

Are there other ways to say 'sure' in French?

Our list covers the most common ways to express 'sure' or 'certainly' in French. However, the French language is rich with nuances, and you might encounter other expressions, from formal ones to casual slang, or even regional variations.

To delve deeper, you could try an online search for 'autres façons de dire sûr en français' or 'synonymes de certain en français' to discover more.

When you come across new expressions for 'sure,' always confirm their meaning and observe how native speakers use them in different contexts before incorporating them into your own vocabulary.

As you immerse yourself in French media—reading, watching, and listening—pay close attention. You'll naturally pick up on various ways to express certainty and agreement.

For a comprehensive list of synonyms and related expressions, the WordReference entry for sûr or certain is an excellent starting point!

I hope this article has provided you with a solid foundation for expressing certainty in French. Remember, confidence in language comes from practice and exposure. As the French proverb says, Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid. (Little by little, the bird builds its nest.)