oui
— Tu veux du café ? — Oui, merci.
— Do you want some coffee? — Yes, thank you.
Used to give a positive answer; expresses agreement or consent.
Oui, je comprends.
Yes, I understand.
Tu es d'accord ? — Oui !
Do you agree? — Yes!
Can be emphasized with 'oui' + repetition (e.g., 'oui, oui !') for stronger agreement.
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing 'oui' in writing
In formal French, replace repetitive 'oui' with synonyms like 'certes', 'effectivement', or 'bien sûr' to sound more polished.
Gold Rule
Agreement vs. confirmation
Use 'oui' to agree or confirm. For confirmation of a negative statement, use 'si' (e.g., 'Tu n'aimes pas ça ? — Si, j'aime bien !').
Word Origin
From Old French 'oïl' (modern 'oui'), from Latin 'hoc ille' ('this is it'), via Vulgar Latin 'oc'/'o' + 'ille'. Evolved through phonetic reduction to 'oui' by the 16th century.
Usage Notes
'Oui' is the standard affirmative response in French, used in all contexts (formal/informal). In very formal writing, 'si' can be used to contradict a negative question (e.g., 'Tu ne viens pas ? — Si, je viens !').