# How to Say “Yes” in French—Beyond “Oui”
> Beyond "oui": Discover different ways to say "yes" in French! Learn how to say yes like a native and expand your French language skills.
**URL:** https://migaku.com/blog/language-fun/yes-in-french
**Last Updated:** 2025-05-29
**Tags:** vocabulary
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You’d think saying “yes” would be simple.
> Just learn _oui_, use it when appropriate, and voilà—done, right?
Not quite.
If you’ve spent more than five minutes listening to actual French speakers, you’ll realize there’s a _whole_ compendium of affirmative French words. From “bien sûr” to “carrément”, French vocabulary has a dozen shades of yes—each with its own vibe.
In this guide, we’ll explore how French people really say yes—casually, enthusiastically, reluctantly, and everything in between. Let’s jump in.
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## “Oui,” the simplest way to say yes
We have to start with the classic:
- “oui.”
_Sounds kind of like "we"_
It’s the French equivalent of “yes,” and it works in pretty much any context. Whether you’re replying politely to your teacher, ordering croissants, or accepting a marriage proposal, “oui” gets the job done.
> Fun fact: “oui” comes from the Latin expression “hoc ille“, meaning “this one.” Over time, that phrase evolved phonetically and grammatically into the sleek, single-syllable “oui” we use today.
While there are many different ways to say yes, “oui” is the ultimate affirmative answer and probably the first word you'll be taught when learning the French language.
- Tu veux un croissant ? — Oui, merci.
_Do you want a croissant? — Yes, thank you._
If you’ve seen a French rom-com or historical drama, you’ve probably heard “oui” about fifty times in the first scene alone. It’s a small word with an enormous range.
### Other spellings for “oui” based on sound
Now that texting and online chatting are so common, people often write “oui” the way it _sounds_ like it should be spelled rather than how it _should_ be spelled. These creative variations on "oui" are usually informal or playful. They can also express modesty when talking about one's own achievements.
Here's a few common ones you'll see:
| Spelling | Context | Tone |
| --------- | --------------------------- | ------------------------ |
| **ui** | Text messages | Cute, casual |
| **vui** | Social media comments | Playful, exaggerated |
You might see:
- Vuiiiii c’est trop bien 😍
_Yesss, that’s awesome 😍_
It’s not “real” French grammar you hear about when you learn French, but you’ll see it often—especially among younger speakers. (And your goal _is_ to understand French, right?)
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## “Ouais,” maybe the most common way to say yes
Let’s be honest: if you only use “oui,” you’ll sound like a textbook.
If you want to sound like a native, start using the casual way to say yes:
- Ouais
_Sounds kind of like “weh”_
> “Ouais” is to “oui” what “yeah” is to “yes” for English speakers.
It’s casual, easygoing, and used constantly in real-life conversations and informal settings. Friends use it. Co-workers use it. Teenagers use nothing _but_ it. (I jest. Kind of.)
- Tu veux venir au ciné ? — Ouais, carrément. _Want to go to the movies? — Yeah, totally._
The word _ouais_ has actually been around for centuries. It started showing up in the 15th century, often in plays to mark informal speech or working-class characters. It’s since gone mainstream.
If you watch shows like _[Dix pour cent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_My_Agent!)_ or _[Lupin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupin_(French*TV_series))*, you’ll hear “ouais” in almost every dialogue. It’s how actual native French speakers talk.
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## Recent developments: the appearance of “yes”
Here’s something interesting—French people are starting to say **“yes”**... like, the English word "yes", but in _French_.
Why?
It’s trendy, casual, and a little tongue-in-cheek. You’ll hear it among younger speakers or online, sometimes as a quick, dramatic reaction—especially on social media.
- T’as vu ce film ? — YESSS trop bien !
_Did you see that movie? — YESSS, it was so good!_
It’s not a replacement for _oui_ or _ouais_, but it’s definitely part of modern French, and you'll hear it.
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## Other ways to show agreement
Beyond “oui” and “ouais,” French has plenty of expressions that signal agreement. Some are polite, some are enthusiastic, and some can even be a bit tricky depending on context.
Let’s take a closer look:
| Expression | English Equivalent | Caution / Notes |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Bien sûr** | Of course | Can sound sarcastic depending on tone |
| **D’accord** | Alright / Agreed | Formal or neutral |
| **D’acc** | Sure / Okay
(short for d’accord) | Very casual; used mostly in speech or text |
| **OK / Okay** | Okay | Can seem cold in writing,
especially when followed with a period |
| **Okidoki** | Okay-dokey | Rare; humorous or intentionally goofy |
| **Carrément** | Totally / For sure
Absolutely | Emphatic yes—strong approval |
| **Ça marche** | Okay / Agreed / Alright | Slightly informal |
Some example sentences:
- On se retrouve à 18h ? — D’accord.
_We’ll meet at 6 PM? — Alright._
- Tu veux tester ce resto japonais ? — Carrément !
_Wanna try that Japanese restaurant? — Absolutely!_
### Using intonation to show agreement
As in English, the _way_ you say “yes” in French matters. A sarcastic “bien sûûûr” or a hesitant “ouais…” can completely change the meaning.
Here are some tone-based examples:
- **Bien sûr.** (neutral tone) → “Of course.”
- **Bieeen sûûûr...** (exaggerated) → “Yeah riiight...”
- **Ouais...** (hesitant) → “I mean, yeah... I guess.”
Pay close attention to how words are said, not just what’s said. The French love using intonation to add layers of meaning.
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## A more natural way to learn how to say Yes in French
Now that you know all these ways of saying yes, you might be wondering—how can you see them used in real life?
Even just twenty years ago, your only choice would have been to get a visa to France.
> Today, you can immerse in French no matter where you are in the world.
For example, imagine you're on YouTube, watching an interview of one of your favorite French actresses—Emmanuelle Béart.
You understand most of the content. Awesome! You're feeling great.
.... and then you stumble upon the French phrase “bien sûr,” which you aren't familiar with.
What will you ever do?
Well, if you use Migaku, you can literally just click on words in subtitles to see what they mean.
You'll see definitions from real French dictionaries—and you can also have AI give you explanations of what a certain word means in the context of a particular sentence.
Anyway, we see that _bien sûr_ means:
> • adv. of course, certainly, obviously
And that seems like a super useful thing to know how to say! So you click on the orange button in the top-right corner of the dictionary and create a flashcard in the blink of an eye:
To make the flashcard, we'll take a screenshot and audio snippet from your YouTube show. From there, we'll periodically nudge you to see if you remember what _bien sûr_ means. Each time we do, you'll have the context of your interview to help you recall what it means.
Eventually, you'll just know what it means.
And _that's_ how you learn French.
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## Saying “oui” is a question of nuances
Learning a language isn’t just about vocabulary lists and grammar rules. It’s about **understanding the little things**—like how many French expressions there are to say “yes,” and how each one carries its own tone and context.
There's a lot of nuance to wrap your head around...
But:
> If you consume media you enjoy in French, and you understand some of the messages and sentences within that media, you will make progress. _Period._
Bonne chance, and _ouais_ (see what I did there?)—you've got this!