Oui is definitely the most common way to say "yes" in French. But just like in English, there are many other nuances and ways to express agreement!

Learning these alternatives will not only make you sound more natural, but also help you understand French conversations better.

So, ready to broaden your vocabulary and say "yes" like a true francophone? Let's dive into 9 different ways to say "yes" in French!

The standard 'yes' – oui

The standard “yes” – oui

Oui is the most common and standard way to say “yes” in French. It's an essential word for any French learner.

Unlike many French words, oui is an invariant adverb, meaning its form never changes based on gender or number. It's always oui, regardless of who is speaking or what is being discussed.

You can use oui in virtually all situations, from the most formal interactions to casual conversations with friends. It's your reliable go-to for affirming something.

While oui is straightforward, French offers a precise way to affirm in response to negative questions, which is a common point of confusion for learners.

To answer a positive question affirmatively, or to simply agree with a statement, use oui. However, if the question is negative (e.g., 'You're not coming?') and you want to contradict it with a 'yes' (meaning 'Yes, I am coming!'), you must use si instead of oui.

For instance, if someone asks Tu aimes le café ? (Do you like coffee?), you'd respond Oui, j'adore ça. (Yes, I love it.). But if the question is Tu ne viens pas à la fête ? (You're not coming to the party?), and you want to say 'Yes, I am coming!', you would say Si, je viens ! using si to contradict the negative assumption.

Beyond oui, you might hear other phrases to express stronger agreement or confirmation, such as oui, bien sûr (yes, of course) or tout à fait (absolutely), but oui remains the fundamental building block.

While the distinction between oui and si can seem tricky at first, with practice and exposure, knowing which one to use usually becomes intuitive based on the context of the question.

The precise usage of oui and si highlights a subtle yet important aspect of French grammar, showcasing how the language differentiates between simple affirmation and contradiction of a negative statement.

💡 * Tu es prêt ? Oui, je suis prêt. (Are you ready? Yes, I am ready.)

Elle est là ? Oui, elle vient d'arriver. (Is she here? Yes, she just arrived.)

Vous n'avez pas faim ? Si, j'ai très faim ! (Aren't you hungry? Yes, I'm very hungry!)

Oui, c'est une bonne idée. (Yes, that's a good idea.)

Il ne travaille pas aujourd'hui ? Si, il travaille. (He's not working today? Yes, he is working.)

The 'of course' – bien sûr

The “of course” – bien sûr

When you want to express agreement, certainty, or that something is obvious in French, the most common and direct phrase is bien sûr. It translates directly to “of course” or “naturally.”

Literally, bien sûr combines bien (well, good) and sûr (sure, certain). So, you can think of it as meaning “quite certain” or “well sure,” which perfectly encapsulates its emphatic nature.

Its most frequent use is to strongly affirm a statement or agree with a question. It conveys a sense of strong confirmation, indicating that there’s no doubt or hesitation about what’s being said.

Bien sûr also implies that something is self-evident, expected, or widely known. If a fact is common knowledge or a conclusion is inevitable, you can use bien sûr to underscore its obviousness.

For even stronger emphasis or to explicitly clarify a yes/no answer, you might hear or use bien sûr que oui (of course, yes) or bien sûr que non (of course, no). These are particularly effective in direct responses to questions.

💡 * Tu viens à la fête ? Bien sûr ! (Are you coming to the party? Of course!)

Il fait beau aujourd'hui, bien sûr. (It's nice weather today, of course.)

Est-ce que tu aimes le chocolat ? Bien sûr que oui ! (Do you like chocolate? Of course, yes!)

Tu ne vas pas me laisser tomber, n'est-ce pas ? Bien sûr que non ! (You're not going to let me down, are you? Of course not!)

Les musées sont fermés le lundi, bien sûr. (Museums are closed on Mondays, of course.)

The 'absolutely' – absolument

The French word for 'absolutely' is absolument. It's a common and versatile adverb you'll hear frequently in everyday conversations.

Absolument is primarily used to express strong agreement, certainty, or to emphasize a statement. It translates directly to 'absolutely,' 'definitely,' or 'certainly' in English.

You can use absolument on its own as a one-word answer to a question, similar to saying 'Absolutely!' in English. It can also modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to intensify their meaning.

To express 'absolutely not,' the common and idiomatic phrase is absolument pas. This structure is widely used and important to remember for negative emphasis.

Grammatically, absolument is an adverb. This means it is invariable; it does not change its form based on gender or number, making its usage relatively consistent once you understand its placement in a sentence.

💡 * Es-tu sûr ? - Absolument ! (Are you sure? - Absolutely!)

C'est absolument nécessaire. (It's absolutely necessary.)

Je ne suis absolument pas d'accord. (I absolutely do not agree.)

Elle est absolument magnifique. (She is absolutely magnificent.)

Tu dois absolument venir. (You absolutely must come.)

The 'exactly' – exactement

The French word exactement directly translates to 'exactly' or 'precisely' in English. It is an adverb that indicates precision, accuracy, or perfect conformity.

As an adverb, exactement modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, specifying that something is done or is true with perfect accuracy. It typically follows the verb it modifies or precedes an adjective/adverb.

One of its most common and versatile uses is as a standalone interjection to express strong agreement or affirmation. Much like 'Exactly!' or 'Precisely!' in English, it confirms that what has been said is entirely correct.

Beyond simple agreement, exactement can also be used to add emphasis to a statement, reinforcing the truth or specificity of a fact without any room for doubt or approximation. It highlights the perfect fit or nature of something.

💡 * C'est exactement ce que je voulais dire. (That's exactly what I wanted to say.)

Elle est arrivée exactement à l'heure. (She arrived exactly on time.)

Exactement ! Tu as bien compris. (Exactly! You understood well.)

Ce n'est pas exactement pareil. (It's not exactly the same.)

Peux-tu décrire exactement ce qui s'est passé ? (Can you describe exactly what happened?)

The 'that's right' – c'est ça

C'est ça is a fundamental French expression that directly translates to “that’s right,” “exactly,” or “that’s it.”

Its primary use is to express strong agreement or confirmation, indicating that what has been said or understood is correct.

Beyond simple affirmation, c'est ça can also be posed as a question (C'est ça?) to seek confirmation or clarify understanding, similar to asking “Is that right?” or “Is that it?”

This phrase is incredibly common in everyday French conversation and is appropriate in almost all social contexts, from informal chats to more formal discussions.

💡 * Tu veux dire que le train part à 10h ? C'est ça. (You mean the train leaves at 10 AM? That's right.)

Alors, j'ajoute le sucre et ensuite la farine, c'est ça ? (So, I add the sugar and then the flour, is that right?)

Le problème, c'est que nous n'avons pas assez de temps. Oui, c'est ça. (The problem is that we don't have enough time. Yes, exactly.)

J'ai compris, tu préfères le café noir. C'est ça. (I understood, you prefer black coffee. That's it.)

The 'gladly' or 'with pleasure' – volontiers

The French adverb volontiers translates to “gladly,” “willingly,” or “with pleasure.” It’s used to express a positive and eager acceptance of an offer or suggestion, showing you'd be happy to do something. It's a sophisticated way to say 'yes' with enthusiasm.

You'll often hear volontiers when someone is invited to do something and wants to express their enthusiasm politely. It implies a genuine willingness, making it an elegant alternative to a simple oui (yes) or bien sûr (of course), adding a touch of grace to your response.

While similar in meaning to avec plaisir (with pleasure), volontiers carries a slightly more elegant and, some might say, a touch more formal or classic feel. It suggests a deeper, internal inclination rather than just a superficial polite response. It's appreciated for its charm and politeness.

Use volontiers when you want to convey genuine eagerness and politeness, especially in response to an invitation, a request, or an offer. It's perfect for situations where you want to show you're not just agreeing, but truly happy to participate, elevating your French communication.

💡 * Voulez-vous prendre un café ? – Oui, volontiers ! (Would you like to have a coffee? – Yes, gladly!)

Je vous aiderais volontiers si j'avais le temps. (I would gladly help you if I had the time.)

Il accepte volontiers les défis. (He gladly accepts challenges.)

Nous irions volontiers avec vous à la campagne. (We would gladly go with you to the countryside.)

The 'okay' or 'agreed' – d'accord

The French expression d'accord is a versatile phrase that translates directly to "okay," "agreed," or "all right" in English. It's fundamental for expressing consent or acknowledgment.

Most commonly, d'accord is used to show agreement or to confirm understanding. You can use it alone as an interjection, or in conjunction with the verb être (to be) to form phrases like être d'accord (to agree).

When used as an expression of agreement, d'accord remains invariable, meaning it doesn't change for gender or number. For instance, whether you're agreeing with one person or many, male or female, it stays d'accord.

💡 * Tu veux manger des crêpes? D'accord! (Do you want to eat crepes? Okay!)

Je suis d'accord avec ta proposition. (I agree with your proposal.)

Nous sommes d'accord pour se retrouver à 19h. (We agree to meet at 7 PM.)

Il est d'accord pour nous accompagner. (He's okay with accompanying us.)

Est-ce que tout le monde est d'accord? (Is everyone agreed/okay with this?)

The 'yes' (in response to a negative question) – si

In French, while oui generally means 'yes', there's a special word for saying 'yes' when you're responding to a negative question: si.

Using si in this context allows you to contradict or affirm the negative premise of the question. It's like saying 'yes, on the contrary' or 'yes, I do/am'.

Think of si as a strong affirmation against a negative statement. For instance, if someone asks 'Tu n'aimes pas le café ?' (You don't like coffee?), and you do like it, you would reply Si! (Yes, I do!).

Many learners initially use oui in response to negative questions, which can sound awkward or imply agreement with the negative. Mastering si is a key step in sounding more natural in French.

💡 * Tu n'as pas faim ? – Si, j'ai très faim ! (You're not hungry? – Yes, I'm very hungry!)

Elle ne vient pas avec nous ? – Si, elle arrive. (Isn't she coming with us? – Yes, she is coming.)

Vous n'avez pas vu le film ? – Si, je l'ai vu hier soir. (Haven't you seen the movie? – Yes, I saw it last night.)

Il n'est pas français ? – Si, il est de Paris. (Isn't he French? – Yes, he's from Paris.)

The informal 'totally' or 'definitely' – carrément

When you want to express a strong affirmative like 'totally,' 'absolutely,' or 'definitely' in informal French, the word you're looking for is carrément.

Literally, carrément means 'squarely' or 'flat.' It comes from the word carré (square). However, in modern informal conversation, its meaning has shifted dramatically to convey emphatic agreement or confirmation, much like how 'square' in English can sometimes mean 'fair and square' but the adverb has taken on a new life.

Carrément is a versatile adverb used to intensify a statement or an agreement. It's highly informal, so you'll hear it frequently among friends, family, and younger generations. It adds a punch to your affirmation, making it stronger than a simple oui or bien sûr.

You can use carrément to agree enthusiastically, confirm something without doubt, or emphasize a point. It can replace phrases like 'tout à fait' (absolutely) or 'certainement' (certainly) in casual settings, but remember to keep it informal.

💡 * Tu viens à la fête ce soir ? – Carrément ! (Are you coming to the party tonight? – Totally!)

C'est carrément la meilleure pizza que j'ai jamais mangée. (This is definitely the best pizza I've ever eaten.)

Il est carrément fou de faire ça. (He's totally crazy to do that.)

J'ai trouvé le film carrément génial. (I found the movie absolutely brilliant.)

Tu penses qu'on devrait y aller ? – Carrément ! (Do you think we should go? – Absolutely!)

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

Our list covers the most common and versatile ways to say 'yes' in French. However, the French language, like any other, is rich with nuances, including regional expressions, informal slang, and even older forms that convey affirmation.

If you're curious about specific contexts or regional differences, try an online search for "comment dire oui en ___" followed by a particular Francophone country or situation (e.g., "oui en argot" for slang).

As you explore, you might encounter various synonyms or expressions for 'yes'. Always remember to verify their meaning and observe how they are used in real-world conversations or texts before incorporating them into your own speech.

Immerse yourself in French media — books, films, podcasts, and conversations. You'll naturally pick up on different ways native speakers express agreement and affirmation in various social settings.

For a deeper dive into synonyms for 'oui' or expressions of agreement, the WordReference entry for oui is an excellent starting point, offering a comprehensive look at its usage and related phrases.

I hope this article has helped clarify the many ways to say 'yes' in French. As the French proverb goes, "Qui dit oui, s'engage" (He who says yes, commits himself) — a reminder of the power in a simple affirmation.

9 ways to say "yes" in French