French Has a Special YES

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:00]French has two words that can mean yes, oui and si. Beginners usually learn oui, but si is very important. You use si when you are contradicting a negative question or statement. For example, someone says, "Tu n'aimes pas le café?"

[00:00:15]You don't like coffee? If you answer si, it means yes, I do. English doesn't have a perfect separate word for this. We just use stone. Yes, I do. But French has a special word for that situation.

[00:00:28]Another example, "Tu ne viens pas?"

[00:00:30]You're not coming? "Si, je viens."

[00:00:32]>> [music] >> Yes, I am coming. So, remember, oui is normal yes. Si is the yes that fights back. Small word, very useful, very French.