French word

ouais

Pronunciation

IPA/wɛ/

Meaning

  • interjectionyeah

Example

On y va ? Elle a dit ouais.

Shall we go? She said yeah.

Illustration for ouais (yeah)

More examples

Ouais, mais je dois finir un truc.

Yeah, but I have to finish something.

Core concept

A friendly verbal nod of agreement in an informal exchange.

Common phrases

  • ouais mais

    yeah, but

  • ouais non

    Yeah, no

Similar words

oui: A standard way to say yes in any setting.
ok: A short way to acknowledge or agree, common in speech and messages.
d'accord: A reply showing agreement with an opinion or proposal.
si: A corrective yes used to contradict a negative statement.

Definition in French

Équivalent familier de « oui », très fréquent à l'oral et courant aussi dans l'écrit informel (SMS, chat, BD).

Word origin

Ouais comes from the spoken reshaping of oui, whose older form oïl ultimately traces back to the Latin words hoc ille.

Usage tips

  • Ouais suits familiar speech and informal messages, while oui is safer in formal writing and polite situations.

Opposites

  • nonnointerjection

Word lists with this word