oui
neutral
In Quebec French oui is "yes". Friends say ouais, like "yeah", and ben oui means "well yes" or "of course".
Meaning: affirmative answer (adverb)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| oui | neutral |
| ouais | informal |
| ben oui | emphatic, Quebec |
Use oui in polite situations and ouais in relaxed talk. Ben oui often adds a note of "obviously".
Which one should you use?
The word ben is a short form of bien and is very common in Quebec speech.
How do you pronounce it?
Oui sounds like "wee". Ouais sounds like "way".
Did you know?
- Ben is short for bien, and it appears in many Quebec expressions like ben là.
Examples in context
- Oui, merci.Yes, thank you.
- Ouais, ça marche.Yeah, that works.
- Ben oui, bien sûr!Well yes, of course!
Example conversation
Anne asks her friend Julie if she wants to go to a movie in Montreal.
- AnneTu veux aller au cinéma?Do you want to go to the movies?
- JulieBen oui!Of course!
- AnneÀ sept heures?At seven?
- JulieOuais, parfait.Yeah, perfect.
