oui oui
Wi wi is a sound spelling of the French oui oui, which means yes yes and is how the phrase is actually written in French.
oui oui is simply the word for yes said twice. English speakers often spell it the way it sounds when imitating French.
Which one should you use?
Ouais ouais is the casual counterpart, close to yeah yeah in English.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Swiss French, si means yes when you contradict a negative statement.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not write the phrase with a w in French. The correct spelling is oui oui.
Did you know?
- The French word oui is actually a compound of two older elements: the affirmative particle o and the pronoun il, meaning 'he'.
- While English speakers might use 'wi wi' to mockingly imitate French, using the actual spelling oui oui in conversation can sound strangely childish or repetitive to a native speaker.
- In France, saying oui oui repeatedly when someone is giving you instructions can sometimes be perceived as dismissive or sarcastic, rather than agreeable.
Examples in context
- Arrête de dire « oui oui » pour te moquer.Stop saying "oui oui" to make fun of me.
- Elle répète « oui oui » avec un accent drôle.She repeats "oui oui" with a funny accent.
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are deciding on a movie to watch.
- LucasOn regarde un film d'action ?Shall we watch an action movie?
- ManonOui oui, je veux bien !Yes yes, I'd like that!
- LucasTu veux du pop-corn aussi ?Do you want some popcorn too?
- ManonS'il te plaît, Lucas.Please, Lucas.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oui, CC BY-SA 4.0.
