sì
/ˈsi/
The Italian word for yes is sì.
sì is used to indicate agreement or acceptance. It can also function as a noun meaning an answer that shows agreement or acceptance, or as an interjection to express pleasure, joy or great excitement.
Meaning: word used to indicate agreement or acceptance (particle)
Which one should you use?
sì is the direct antonym of the Italian word no.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsi/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget the accent and write si instead of sì. Note that si without the accent is a reflexive pronoun used in many grammatical constructions.
Did you know?
- In some regions of Italy, a slight upward flick of the chin or a quick 'tsk' sound can function as a non-verbal no, which can be confused by foreigners as a sì.
- The word sì is actually a descendant of the Latin word sīc, which originally meant 'thus' or 'in this manner'.
- The word sì is one of the few Italian words where a written accent is mandatory to distinguish it from a completely different grammatical part of speech.
Examples in context
- Sì, è a casa.Yes, she's at home.Tatoeba #3143710 by Guybrush88, translation #3143713 by ddnktr
- Sì, è un cane.Yes, it is a dog.Tatoeba #11290066 by Guybrush88, translation #5228521 by solejar
- Di' solo di sì.Just say yes.Tatoeba #2575447 by Guybrush88, translation #2549760 by CK
- Vuoi venire al cinema? Sì, assolutamente!Do you want to come to the cinema? Yes, absolutely!
- Possiamo andare in vacanza insieme? Sicuro, mi piacerebbe molto!Can we go on vacation together? Sure, I would love to!
- 573 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Giulia are deciding whether to go to the cinema.
- FrancescoVuoi andare al cinema stasera?Do you want to go to the cinema tonight?
- GiuliaSì, mi piacerebbe molto.Yes, I would like that very much.
- FrancescoAndiamo alle otto allora?Shall we go at eight then?
- GiuliaSì, perfetto.Yes, perfect.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes” translations and entries sì, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sì, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
