yes
♦♦♦ yes /j'es/
In informal English, yes is often pronounced in a casual way that is usually written as yeah.
1 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to give a positive response to a question.
`Are you a friend of Nick's?'--`Yes.'...
`You actually wrote it down, didn't you?'--`Yes.'...
Will she say yes when I ask her out?
≠ no
2 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to accept an offer or request, or to give permission.
`More wine?'--`Yes please.'...
`Will you take me there?'--`Yes, I will.'...
`Can I ask you something?'--`Yes, of course.'
≠ no
3 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to tell someone that what they have said is correct.
`Well I suppose it is based on the old lunar months isn't it.'--`Yes that's right.'...
`That's a type of whitefly, is it?'--`Yes, it is a whitefly.'
≠ no
4 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to show that you are ready or willing to speak to the person who wants to speak to you, for example when you are answering a telephone or a knock at your door.
He pushed a button on the intercom. `Yes?' came a voice...
Yes, can I help you?
5 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to indicate that you agree with, accept, or understand what the previous speaker has said.
`A lot of people find it very difficult indeed to give up smoking.'--`Oh yes. I used to smoke nearly sixty a day.'...
`It's a fabulous opportunity.'--`Yeah. I know.'
6 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to encourage someone to continue speaking.
`I remembered something funny today.'--`Yeah?'
7 [CONVENTION]
You use yes, usually followed by `but', as a polite way of introducing what you want to say when you disagree with something the previous speaker has just said.
`She is entitled to her personal allowance which is three thousand pounds of income.'--`Yes, but she doesn't earn any money.'...
8 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to say that a negative statement or question that the previous speaker has made is wrong or untrue.
`That is not possible,' she said. `Oh, yes, it is!' Mrs Gruen insisted...
`I don't know what you're talking about.'--`Yes, you do.'
9 [CONVENTION]
You can use yes to suggest that you do not believe or agree with what the previous speaker has said, especially when you want to express your annoyance about it.
`There was no way to stop it.'--`Oh yes? Well, here's something else you won't be able to stop.'
10 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to indicate that you had forgotten something and have just remembered it.
What was I going to say. Oh yeah, we've finally got our second computer.
11 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to emphasize and confirm a statement that you are making.
He collected the £10,000 first prize. Yes, £10,000.
12 [CONVENTION]
You say yes and no in reply to a question when you cannot give a definite answer, because in some ways the answer is yes and in other ways the answer is no.
`Was it strange for you, going back after such a long absence?'--`Yes and no.'
In informal English, yes is often pronounced in a casual way that is usually written as yeah.
1 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to give a positive response to a question.
`Are you a friend of Nick's?'--`Yes.'...
`You actually wrote it down, didn't you?'--`Yes.'...
Will she say yes when I ask her out?
≠ no
2 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to accept an offer or request, or to give permission.
`More wine?'--`Yes please.'...
`Will you take me there?'--`Yes, I will.'...
`Can I ask you something?'--`Yes, of course.'
≠ no
3 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to tell someone that what they have said is correct.
`Well I suppose it is based on the old lunar months isn't it.'--`Yes that's right.'...
`That's a type of whitefly, is it?'--`Yes, it is a whitefly.'
≠ no
4 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to show that you are ready or willing to speak to the person who wants to speak to you, for example when you are answering a telephone or a knock at your door.
He pushed a button on the intercom. `Yes?' came a voice...
Yes, can I help you?
5 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to indicate that you agree with, accept, or understand what the previous speaker has said.
`A lot of people find it very difficult indeed to give up smoking.'--`Oh yes. I used to smoke nearly sixty a day.'...
`It's a fabulous opportunity.'--`Yeah. I know.'
6 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to encourage someone to continue speaking.
`I remembered something funny today.'--`Yeah?'
7 [CONVENTION]
You use yes, usually followed by `but', as a polite way of introducing what you want to say when you disagree with something the previous speaker has just said.
`She is entitled to her personal allowance which is three thousand pounds of income.'--`Yes, but she doesn't earn any money.'...
8 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to say that a negative statement or question that the previous speaker has made is wrong or untrue.
`That is not possible,' she said. `Oh, yes, it is!' Mrs Gruen insisted...
`I don't know what you're talking about.'--`Yes, you do.'
9 [CONVENTION]
You can use yes to suggest that you do not believe or agree with what the previous speaker has said, especially when you want to express your annoyance about it.
`There was no way to stop it.'--`Oh yes? Well, here's something else you won't be able to stop.'
10 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to indicate that you had forgotten something and have just remembered it.
What was I going to say. Oh yeah, we've finally got our second computer.
11 [CONVENTION]
You use yes to emphasize and confirm a statement that you are making.
He collected the £10,000 first prize. Yes, £10,000.
12 [CONVENTION]
You say yes and no in reply to a question when you cannot give a definite answer, because in some ways the answer is yes and in other ways the answer is no.
`Was it strange for you, going back after such a long absence?'--`Yes and no.'