sí, sí
/ˈsi ˈsi/word by word
The English phrase "yeah yeah" is translated into Spanish as sí, sí.
sí, sí is an informal way to agree with someone or confirm that you understand what they are saying. Depending on the tone, sí, sí can be used to show active listening or, if said dismissively, to signal that the speaker is impatient or already knows what is being said.
Which one should you use?
While a single sí is a standard affirmation, repeating it as sí, sí often signals that the speaker is following along or wants the speaker to continue without interruption.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The repetition of sí is an informal way to express agreement or acknowledgment. For a neutral way to express agreement, you might use Sí, seguro. If you want to be informal, you could use ¡Claro que sí, tío/a! In Mexico, an informal way to express agreement is Sí, claro, güey.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase Sí, vale/vale ya. can be used to express agreement or to ask someone to stop. In the Caribbean, particularly Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, Sí, dale. is used to express agreement or encouragement.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsi ˈsi/
Did you know?
- The second sí in the phrase 'sí, sí' is actually a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'self'. It stems from the Latin 'sibi', which is the dative form of a word meaning 'self'.
- Spanish has a second word sí which is a reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself', 'herself' or 'itself'.
- Depending on the context, the repeated sí, sí can transition from a friendly way to say 'I am following you' to an incredibly rude way to tell someone 'Shut up'.
Examples in context
- «¿Me estás escuchando?» «¿Qué? ¡Sí, sí! ¡Sigue hablando!»"Are you listening to me?" "What? Yeah, yeah, keep talking."This example shows how sí, sí can be used to tell someone to keep talking while you listen.Tatoeba #10038696 by Shishir, translation #10465392 by DJ_Saidez
- «¿Entiendes las instrucciones?» «Sí, sí, lo entiendo.»"Do you understand the instructions?" "Yeah, yeah, I understand."
- «No te preocupes por eso.» «Sí, sí, está todo bien.»"Don't worry about that." "Yeah, yeah, everything is fine."
Example conversation
Alejandro is explaining a recipe to Lucía in the kitchen.
- AlejandroPrimero tienes que añadir la sal a la sopa.First you have to add salt to the soup.
- LucíaSí, sí, ya lo sé.Yeah, yeah, I already know that.
- AlejandroLuego, revuelve todo con la cuchara.Then, stir everything with the spoon.
- LucíaSí, sí, lo tengo claro.Yeah, yeah, I've got it clear.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sí) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
