38 Ways to Say Yes in Italian
“Yes” in Italian is simply sì, with a grave accent on the vowel. If you want to sound like a native speaker, there are so many more ways to say yes in Italian.
Think about how often you replace “yes” in English with other expressions, like “yeah”, “of course”, “sure thing”, and “exactly”. In this post, you’ll learn how to say yes in Italian and emphasize your affirmative answers in casual and professional situations.
Ready? Sì?
Then let’s get started!
Yes in Italian at a Glance
Italian | English |
Yes | |
Yes, absolutely | |
Sure/By all means | |
Okay/Fine | |
Definitely | |
I’d love to! | |
Exactly! | |
Alright/That’s fine | |
Just like that | |
True | |
Right/That’s right |
Common Ways to Say Yes in Italian
Take a moment and think about how many times you’ve said the word “yes” today. It’s probably more than you can count. “Yes” is a simple, powerful word that we say all the time to agree with something, reply affirmatively to questions, accept requests, confirm statements, give consent, and much more. Let’s learn how to say yes in Italian!
Sì – yes
The most common, natural, and straightforward way to say yes in Italian is actually to say sì . Sì is the standard way to say “yes” in Italian, and you can use it in all instances where you wish to give an affirmative response. Let me give you an example.
Italian
A: Ti va di andare al mare il prossimo weekend?
B: Sì!
English
A: Would you like to go to the beach next weekend?
B: Yes!
Assolutamente sì – Yes, absolutely
When you want to say yes in Italian, sometimes sì just doesn’t cut it. There’s a magic word you can use to emphasize your “yes.” If you totally agree with what the other person is telling you, use the term assolutamente sì to agree with something enthusiastically. Here is an example:
Italian
A: Per pranzo pensavo di preparare i ravioli con ricotta e spinaci, ti piacciono?
B: Assolutamente sì!
English
A: For lunch I was thinking of making dumplings stuffed with ricotta and spinach, do you like them?
B: Yes, absolutely!
Certo – sure, by all means
In some situations, you can also say certo , which means “sure.”
Italian
A: Mi presteresti la penna per un momento?
B: Certo!
English
A: Can I borrow your pen for a moment?
B: Sure!
D’accordo – okay, fine
If you look for the Italian translation of “okay” online, the answer you will get is probably d’accordo , which literally translates to “of agreement,” but actually means “okay, fine.”
Have a look at the following example:
Italian
A: Ci vediamo stasera, Laura?
B: D’accordo, ti passo a prendere alle 21:00.
English
A: Shall we meet tonight, Laura?
B: Okay, I’ll pick you up at 9:00 pm.
Senz’altro – definitely
Senz’altro literally means “without other,” and this literal translation doesn’t really make sense in English. In most cases, senz’altro is an expression you can use to say “definitely.” It’s the kind of affirmative reply you give when you’re 100% sure and agree with what the other person is saying.
Here is an example.
Italian
A: Sei d’accordo con me, Francesco?
B: Senz’altro!
English
A: Do you agree with me, Francesco?
B: Definitely!
Volentieri – I’d love to!
Volentieri literally means “gladly,” and indicates that you don’t only accept something, but you’re also very happy about it. Consider this the Italian version of “I’d love to” in English.
Italian
A: Facciamo un giro in centro, Stefania?
B: Volentieri!
English
B: Shall we go for a walk downtown, Stefania?
B: I’d love to!
Esatto! – exactly!
When you totally agree with someone, or you want to confirm that what someone is saying is correct, you can simply say esatto! , which means “exactly.” As you can see, this word is rather similar to the English one, which really helps memorization.
Italian
Esatto, hai proprio ragione!
English
Exactly, you’re absolutely right!
Va bene – alright, that’s fine
Va bene in English would literally be “it goes well.” It’s the Italian equivalent of “that’s fine” and “alright.” Some examples will make it clearer.
Italian
A: Farai tutto quello che ti ho detto?
B: Sì, va bene.
English
A: Will you do what I told you?
B: Yes, alright.
Proprio così – Just like that
Proprio così literally translates to “precisely so,” and corresponds to “that’s right,” “just like that,” or “just that” in English. Use this phrase to emphasize that something is right, true, or correct. Have a look at the following example:
Italian
Proprio così, fidati di quello che ti dico.
English
That’s right, trust what I say.
Vero – true
Vero means “true,” and you can use it to agree with something, or acknowledge that someone is right or is saying something you can relate to.
Italian
Vero! Sono d’accordo anch’io con il dottor Rossi.
English
True! I agree with Dr. Rossi myself.
Giusto! – right, that’s right
If someone is asking for confirmation or approval about something, you can respond to them by saying giusto! , which means “right.” This will tell them that their assumption is right.
Italian
A: Abiti qui dal 2011, vero?
B: Giusto!
English
A: You’ve been living here since 2011, don’t you?
B: That’s right!
Informal Ways to Say Yes in Italian
We’ve compiled a list of the best colloquial and informal words and phrases you can use to say yes in Italian in informal and casual situations. Here you go!
Italian | English |
---|---|
E sia! | Okey-dokey! |
Sì sì! | Uh-huh! |
Ok! | Okay! |
Già! | Yep! |
Altroché! | You bet! |
Andata! | Deal! |
Affare fatto! | It’s a deal! |
Puoi scommetterci! | You bet! |
Ci puoi scommettere! | You bet! |
Perché no? | Why not? |
A voglia! | You bet! Sure thing! |
Senza ombra di dubbio! | Without a doubt! Damn well! |
Formal Ways to Say Yes in Italian
In this table we’ve collected polite phrases and expressions for you that can be used to say yes in more professional or formal settings.
Italian | English |
---|---|
Certamente | Certainly |
Esattamente | Exactly |
Sicuramente | Indeed |
Di certo | Surely |
Senza dubbio | Without a doubt |
Indubbiamente | Undoubtedly |
Indubitabilmente | Indubitably |
Affermativo | Affirmative |
Enthusiastic Ways of Saying Yes in Italian
The phrases gathered in the table below are useful for expressing enthusiasm and happiness when saying yes. Use them in informal contexts and among people you know well. They might be frowned upon in formal situations.
Italian | English |
---|---|
Certo che sì! | Hell yeah! |
Ma certo! | Hell yeah! |
Alé! | Yay! |
Evvai! | Hurray! |
E andiamo! | Come on! |
Ma vai! Ma vieni! | Yay! |
Evviva! | Hurray! |
Urrà! | Hurray! |
Now you know how to say yes in Italian just like a native speaker. No one will catch you off guard anymore!