yes

yes [jes]

particle

(answering affirmative question) oui ; (answering negative question) si

• do you want some? -- yes! en voulez-vous ? -- oui !

• don't you want any? -- yes (I do)! vous n'en voulez pas ? -- (mais) si !

• to say yes dire oui

• yes of course mais oui

► yes man (inf) noun

(plural yes men) béni-oui-oui (inf) m inv

• he's a yes man il dit amen à tout

* * *

[jes]

Note: yes is translated by oui, except when used in reply to a negative question when the translation is si or, more emphatically, si, si or mais si: ‘did you see him?’ - ‘yes (I did)’ = ‘est-ce que tu l'as vu?’ - ‘oui (je l'ai vu)’; ‘you're not hungry, are you?’ - ‘yes I am’ = ‘tu n'as pas faim?’ - ‘si (j'ai faim)’

Note that there are no direct equivalents in French for tag questions and short replies such as yes I did, yes I am

For some suggestions on how to translate these, see the notes at do and be

particle, noun oui; (in reply to negative question) si

to say yes — dire oui

the yeses and the nos — les oui et les non

English-French dictionary. 2013.