sí
/ˈsi/
The English word 'yes' is translated into Spanish as sí. Wiktionary also lists sí pues.
Meaning: word used to indicate agreement or acceptance (particle)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| sí | /ˈsi/ |
| sí pues | /si pwes/ (from spelling rules) |
sí is primarily used as a particle to indicate agreement or acceptance. It can also function as an interjection to express pleasure, joy or great excitement, similar to 'yay' in English. Additionally, sí can serve as a noun meaning 'an affirmative answer'.
Which one should you use?
While sí is the standard form for agreement, sí pues is another variation available in the language.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase Sí, un pelín is used to mean 'Yes, a tad bit'. In Mexico, the phrase Sí, pero muy poquito is used to mean 'Yes, but very little'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When sí is used as a noun meaning 'the affirmative answer', it is preceded by the masculine article to form el sí.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsi/
Did you know?
- The word sí can mean 'oneself' or 'to oneself' because it is a direct descendant of the Latin word sibi, which is the dative form of 'self'.
- While sí is the standard word for 'yes', Spanish speakers often answer affirmative questions by simply repeating the main verb of the question instead.
- While sí is used for agreement, you might hear the word si without an accent mark used in a completely different way. The unaccented si means 'if' and is used to create conditional sentences.
Examples in context
- ¿Eso es un sí?Is that a yes?This example is useful for asking if a statement is an affirmative answer.Tatoeba #9704213 by Shishir, translation #7812408 by Hybrid
- Ya dije que sí.I already said yes.This example shows how to use the word to indicate a previous statement of agreement.Tatoeba #4563306 by DarkHollow, translation #4562442 by Hybrid
- Di que sí y ya.Just say yes.This example is useful for telling someone to simply agree.Tatoeba #4566620 by cueyayotl, translation #2549760 by CK
- 394 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are deciding whether to order pizza.
- Elena¿Quieres pedir pizza hoy?Do you want to order pizza today?
- MateoSí, me parece una buena idea.Yes, that sounds like a good idea.
- Elena¿Pedimos la de pepperoni?Should we order the pepperoni one?
- MateoSí, por favor.Yes, please.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes” translations and entries sí, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pues, sí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
