是的
shì de
In Chinese, 'yes politely' is expressed as 是的 (shì de).
是的 is used to confirm a fact or a state of being, rather than just answering 'yes' to an action.
Which one should you use?
While 是的 confirms a state of being, 对 is more commonly used to mean 'that is correct' or 'right'.
How do you pronounce it?
shì de
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often try to use 是 as a universal word for 'yes', but in Chinese, 'yes' is often expressed by repeating the verb used in the question.
Did you know?
- The character 是 originally meant 'this' or 'that' and was used to point to things before it evolved into the verb 'to be' and the word for 'yes'.
- While 是的 is polite, using it too frequently in a conversation can make a person sound like a robot or a subordinate in a military setting.
- In certain formal settings, the tone and slight nod of the head accompanying 是的 are just as important as the pronunciation for conveying respect.
Examples in context
- 好的，我很乐意和你一起吃午饭Sure, I'd be happy to have lunch with you.
- 是的，我想买这个。Shì de, wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhège.Yes, I want to buy this.
- 是的，他已经到了。Shì de, tā yǐjīng dào le.Yes, he has already arrived.
Example conversation
Zhiqiang is asking Jiayi if she has finished her work.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你完成工作了吗？Nǐ wánchéng gōngzuò le ma?Have you finished your work?
- 佳怡 Jiayi是的，我已经完成了。Shì de, wǒ yǐjīng wánchéng le.Yes, I have already finished it.
- 志强 Zhiqiang太好了，谢谢你。Tài hǎo le, xièxie nǐ.Great, thank you.
- 佳怡 Jiayi不客气，志强。Bú kèqi, Zhìqiáng.You're welcome, Zhiqiang.
