sí
/ˈsi/
The Spanish word for "yes" is 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 used as a particle to indicate agreement or acceptance. It can also function as an interjection to express pleasure, joy or great excitement. Additionally, sí can be used as a noun to refer to an affirmative answer.
Which one should you use?
sí pues is a colloquial way to express agreement, often used with a tone of resignation or as a filler in conversation. Other phrases like Por supuesto can be used to mean "of course."
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using sí as a noun (e.g., 'the yes or the no'), it takes the masculine article el and retains its accent.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsi/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish conversations, speakers avoid using sí entirely and instead repeat the verb from the question to confirm the answer.
- While sí is the standard for 'yes', the word sí can also mean 'self' in reflexive contexts, such as in the phrase para sí meaning 'for oneself'.
- The word pues in sí pues shares a root with the English prefix 'post-', both originating from the Latin word for 'after'.
Examples in context
- ¿Eso es un sí?Is that a yes?This example shows how to ask if a statement constitutes a sí.Tatoeba #9704213 by Shishir, translation #7812408 by Hybrid
- Ya dije que sí.I already said yes.This sentence illustrates using sí to describe a previously given answer.Tatoeba #4563306 by DarkHollow, translation #4562442 by Hybrid
- Di que sí y ya.Just say yes.This is a way to instruct someone to simply say sí.Tatoeba #4566620 by cueyayotl, translation #2549760 by CK
- ¿Quieres tomar un café? – Sí, me encantaría.Do you want to have a coffee? – Yes, I would love to.
- ¿Podría ayudarme con esto? – Desde luego, con gusto.Could you help me with this? – Certainly, with pleasure.
- ¿Vienes a la fiesta esta noche? – Por supuesto, no me lo perdería por nada.Are you coming to the party tonight? – Of course, I wouldn't miss it for anything.
- ¿Quieres salir a pasear? – Sí, claro, vamos.Do you want to go for a walk? – Yes, of course, let's go.
- ¿Te gustaría ir al concierto? – ¡Claro que sí! No me lo perdería por nada del mundo.Would you like to go to the concert? – Of course! I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world.
- ¿Me puedes prestar tu libro? – Sí, vale, pero cuídalo.Can you lend me your book? – Yes, okay, but take care of it.
- ¿Vamos a la playa? – Dale, estoy listo.Should we go to the beach? – Sure, I'm ready.
- 394 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are deciding where to eat lunch.
- Lucía¿Quieres comer pizza hoy?Do you want to eat pizza today?
- JavierSí, me encanta.Yes, I love it.
- Lucía¿Podemos ir al restaurante nuevo?Can we go to the new restaurant?
- JavierSí, vamos ahora.Yes, let's go now.
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.
