How to say yes in Italian
No and yes in Italian are likely to be the first expressions you will learn. Here you can also learn how to say no in Italian, but in this article we will see how to say yes in Italian:
How to say yes in Italian?
As a general rule, to say yes in Italian we use the word sì, often accompanied by grazie (thanks) to answer a question positively. It is really important to put an accent on the “i” of sì in order to write it properly. Also, this helps distinguish it from other words, like the reflexive pronoun si. Beyond sì, several alternatives to yes in Italian exist, depending on the context, on the person you are talking to or just on a personal choice. We can translate yes with certo or certamente (surely), assolutamente (absolutely), senz’altro (of course), senza dubbio (without a doubt ), and a lot of other expressions that are very common in Italy.
Let’s give a look at all ways we can say yes in Italian!
Certo / Certamente
Certo and certamente are the most common alternatives to say yes in Italian. You can apply one of them to affirm you are going to help someone do something for sure.
Example:
Mamma, potresti aiutarmi con i compiti di francese più tardi? – Certo! / Certamente!
Mum, could you help me please with my French homework later? – Sure! / Surely!
Here there are some useful books for you:
Assolutamente
In case you wish to express certainty or totally agree with what people are telling you, you may want to use the term “assolutamente” , which is more than yes in Italian.
Example:
Che ne pensi della proposta di James? Sei d’accordo, Lisa? – Assolutamente!
What do you think about James’ proposal? Do you agree, Lisa? – Absolutely!
Senz’altro / Ma certo
These two statements to say yes in Italian are largely employed in formal contexts, especially in public places (restaurants, pubs, clubs) when you receive a polite answer after asking for something.
Example:
Scusi, posso avere anche io un calice di vino? – Senz’altro! / Ma certo!
Excuse me, may I have a glass of wine, too? – Of course!
Senza dubbio / Senza ombra di dubbio
When you are convinced that something will happen, you better utilize “senza dubbio” or “senza ombra di dubbio”. Literally “without a doubt” and “without any shadow of doubt”.
Example:
Secondo me, tante persone parteciperanno alla manifestazione. – Senza dubbio! / Senza ombra di dubbio!
In my opinion, a lot of people will participate in the demonstration. – No doubt! / No question!
Sicuro / Sicuramente
Other valid alternatives to say yes in Italian are “sicuro” or “sicuramente”, mainly employed when there is no doubt about the fact that you will achieve what they asked you to do.
Example:
Kate, passerai a trovarmi dopo cena? – Sicuro! / Sicuramente!
Kate, will you come over after dinner? – Sure! / Surely!
Per forza
You can use this statement when you reply to a question you take for granted, referring to something you actually need or necessarily have to do.
Example:
Mary, ti serve la macchina ora? – Per forza! Sto facendo tardi!
Mary, do you need the car right now? – Of course! I’m late!
Note that this alternative to yes in Italian can be also perceived in a negative way. It’s almost like saying “Obviously, what for a question is this?” . For this reason, it is better to apply it exclusively when speaking to someone close to you.
Ovvio / Ovviamente
These two expressions to say yes in Italian are very useful in case you have to confirm something evident and widely clear you are completely sure of.
Example:
Prima di andare in discoteca, mangiamo qualcosa? – Ovvio! / Ovviamente!
Before going to the disco, can we have something to eat? – Obviously!
Chiaramente
You are suggested to apply “chiaramente” in case you are convinced someone is telling you something seemingly obvious. Despite that, you also think you should give more information when answering in order to be more precise.
Example:
Se non mangio pane e pasta fino a domenica, potrei perdere abbastanza peso in soli dieci giorni. – Chiaramente! Ricorda però di non bere alcolici!
If I don’t eat bread and pasta until Sunday, I’ll be able to lose enough weight within ten days. – Clearly! Just remember not to drink alcohol!
Naturalmente
In case of absolute and unquestionable truths leading to predictable consequences, the most suitable way to reply is by using “naturalmente” as an answer.
Example:
Se mangi troppi cioccolatini, rischi un bel mal di pancia. – Naturalmente!
If you eat too many chocolates, you might have a stomach ache. – Naturally!
GIUSTO / VERO
“Giusto” and “vero” are mostly used in place of yes in Italian when you realise someone is reminding you of something important like a deadline, a scheduled activity or a particular occurence.
Example:
Ricorda che entro sabato bisogna pagare la bolletta della luce. – Giusto! / Vero!
emember that the electricity bill must be paid by Saturday. – Right!
Esatto / Esattamente
These two statements convey the idea that you essentially agree with what has been said to you. In order to prove it, you need to resort to one of these terms.
Example:
Ti devo ancora 5 dollari, giusto? – Esatto! / Esattamente!
Do I still owe you 5 dollars, right? – Exactly!
Precisamente
“Precisamente” is the appropriate answer to give when you realize the person you are talking to shares your same opinions or has perfectly understood what you meant.
Example:
Dunque, se studio quattro ore al giorno per le prossime due settimane, riuscirò sicuramente a superare gli esami a fine mese. – Precisamente!
So, if I study four hours a day for the next couple weeks, I’ll manage to pass my exams at the end of the month. – Precisely!
Proprio così
Another expression to say yes in Italian is “proprio così”, basically employed when you want to verify you easily understood what they told you.
Example:
Ha detto davvero che si sarebbe licenziato la prossima settimana? – Proprio così!
Did he really say he would quit next week? – That’s right!
Ok
Nowadays, “ok” is one of the most well-known and used words in Italian. Primarily belonging to English lexicon, this term can be found in everyday conversations, TV shows and even in speeches by politicians.
Example:
Ti va una birra dopo il lavoro? – Ok
How about a beer after work? – Ok
Remember that it is quite unusual to apply “ok” when talking to a stranger or a professor. For this reason, its use is principally restricted to informal situations.
D’accordo / Va bene
When your intention is to accept what they are offering you or simply do what they asked you, “d’accordo” or “va bene” are the best alternatives to yes in Italian.
Example:
Passo a prenderti prima di andare da Jane? – D’accordo! / Va bene!
Will I pick you up before going to Jane’s? – All right!
Also in this case, the use of these two expressions is mostly recommended in informal situations. Anyway, you are free to employ them in formal contexts, too.
When yes in Italian has other meanings
On some peculiar occasions, the word sì can replace other words or even express feelings and sensations. Let’s go see when this happens!
Pronto
When Italians answer the intercom or the telephone, they sometimes say “sì?” instead of “pronto?”.
Example:
(squilla il telefono) Sì? – Buongiorno, sono Antonio. Posso parlare con Carlo, per favore?
(telephone rings) – Hello? – Good morning! This is Antonio! Can I speak to Carlo, please?
Evvai / Evviva
The word sì followed by an exclamation mark can express joy, excitement and satisfaction for something that happened to you. It is mainly used in place of some interjections like Evvai! or Evviva! (Hurray!).
Example:
Sì!! Ho appena vinto 50 dollari!
Yeees! I just won 50 dollars!
Conclusion
By now you should be able to use and recognize the different ways to say yes in Italian.
According to the person you are chatting with, some expressions occur in formal circumstances (such as senz’altro, ma certo), while others basically exist in informal situations (such as ok, va bene, d’accordo).
Also in this case, you are supposed to pay attention when applying one of these expressions because they may sometimes be perceived negatively or even as a sign of bad manners. An example is the statement per forza: if improperly used, it might spark unpleasantness and rudeness.
For this reason you better see when and how to use them in advance!
