How to say “yes” and “no” in 30 languages: the basic words, and what people say instead

TL;DR: “Yes” and “no” are among the most commonly used words, making them useful to learn in any language. In German, they are ja and nein; in Russian, да (da) and нет (net); in French, oui and non; and in Portuguese, sim and não. This guide covers these two words in more than 25 languages, including pronunciation guidance where useful. Some languages have additional ways to agree or disagree depending on context, formality, and dialect.

This guide gives “yes” and “no” in 30 languages, then looks more closely at German, Russian, French and Portuguese, the four languages where the basic word comes with a pronunciation trap or a common alternative. We then explain the one-accent difference between Spanish sí and Italian sì. Where a language has an everyday alternative such as genau, d'accord or claro, it is given alongside the standard word.

However, in several languages, “yes” and “no” words are not pronounced or used in exactly the way an English speaker might expect. Learning the basic forms alongside simple examples helps learners recognise the word when they hear it. It also makes it easier for them to use it effectively.

How do you say "yes" and "no" in different languages?

Here are the basic equivalents of “yes” and “no” in 30 widely spoken languages:

While the forms above show basic equivalents for “yes” and “no”, context matters. In several languages, speakers have other ways to express agreement or disagreement, particularly in informal conversation.

How do you say "yes" and "no" in German?

“Yes” in German is “ja”, while “no” is “nein”. For instance, “ja natürlich” translates to “yes, of course”, and “nein, danke” means “no, thank you”. Both “ja” and “nein” are extremely common, making them useful vocabulary for beginners.

The German language also has other expressions for agreement. “Genau”, for example, can mean “exactly” or “that’s right”, depending on the context. Natives also use “stimmt” to indicate that something is correct.

How do you say "yes" and "no" in Russian?

“Yes” in Russian is “да (da)”, and “no” in Russian is “нет (net)”. For example, “да, хорошо” means “yes, okay”, while “Нет, спасибо” translates to “no, thank you”.

The Russian alphabet uses Cyrillic, making it important for learners to learn the written forms “да” and “нет”. Language-learning apps like Memrise include written forms and their transliterations to help beginners recognise words in both writing and speech.

The Russian word “да” is pronounced roughly like “dah”, while “нет” is approximately “nyet” to an English-speaking learner. While these approximations are useful starting points, listening to Russian speakers offers a better way to develop accurate pronunciation. This makes the words easier to use in real-time conversations.

How do you say "yes" and "no" in French?

“Yes” in French is “oui”, while “no” in French is “non”. You can use these words in simple responses and everyday conversations. Here are a few examples of how to use yes and no in French

• Oui, merci: Yes, thank you
• Non, merci: No, thank you

French also includes several ways to agree. Depending on the context, “d’accord” can mean “okay” or “agreed”. Learners should also know that “oui” does sounds like the English word “wee”. The pronunciation is commonly represented as /wi/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet.

How do you say "yes" and "no" in Portuguese?

“Yes” in Portuguese is “sim”, and “no” is “não”. The tilde in “não” is an important point to note because it indicates a nasal vowel sound. Here are a few examples:

• Sim, claro: Yes, of course
• Não, obrigado: No, thank you (said by a man)
• Não, obrigada: No, thank you (said by a woman)

Portuguese is spoken in multiple countries, and pronunciation varies between varieties, such as European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. However, the basic words are recognisable across all the different varieties.

Are "yes" and "no" the same in Italian and Spanish?

While “yes” and “no” are nearly identical in Spanish and Italian, there is a minor spelling difference for “yes”. In Spanish, “yes” is “sí”, while in Italian, it is “sì”. “No”, however, is “no” in both languages.

The accent marks matter, with Spanish using an acute accent and Italian using a grave accent. For instance, “sì, certo” means “yes, certainly”, and “sí, quiero” translates to “yes, I want to”.

In Spanish, “si” without the accent mark has a different function and translates to “if” in many contexts. When using Memrise, learners are introduced to the different accents through native speaker videos. This helps them learn how to say the word correctly, improving their fluency.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "yes" in German?

“Yes” in German is “ja”, and it is pronounced approximately like “yah”. It is one of the first German words that learners encounter. However, German has other expressions of agreement, including “genau”, which means “exactly”, and “stimmt”, meaning “that’s right”.

How do you say "no" in Russian?

“No” in Russian is нет, transliterated as net and pronounced roughly “nyet”. The н is soft, so it is not the English “net”. It is written in Cyrillic, which is worth learning early because да and нет are among the first words you will see on signs and menus. A bare нет can sound abrupt; нет, спасибо (no, thank you) is the everyday form.

How do you say "no" in French?

“No” in French is “non”, and it can be used on its own or in a phrase. French also includes expressions such as “pas du tout (not at all)” for stronger disagreement. The appropriate expression will depend on the context.


How do you say "yes" in Portuguese?

“Yes” in Portuguese is “sim”. For instance, “sim, claro” means “yes, of course”. The Portuguese word for “no” is “não”, which contains a nasal vowel represented by the tilde. However, the language is spoken in several countries, and pronunciation can vary between regional varieties.