Yes in Italian is sì (see), written with an accent, and no is no (noh). Both work with anyone, formal or informal. Italians soften or strengthen them with extra words: sì, certo (yes, of course), no, grazie (no, thank you), assolutamente no (absolutely not). For OK, say va bene or d'accordo.
- Yes
- sì
- No
- no
- Of course
- certo
- OK, all right
- va bene / d'accordo
- I think so / I don't think so
- credo di sì / credo di no
- Level
- A1
How many ways are there to say yes?
Sì on its own can sound abrupt in conversation, so Italians often add a word or repeat it. The choice tells the listener how keen you are.
| Italian | English | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Sì | Yes | Any answer |
| Sì, sì | Yes, yes | Eager agreement, or impatience |
| Certo! | Of course! | Friendly, confident yes |
| Certamente | Certainly | A little more formal |
| Esatto! | Exactly! | Agreeing with what was just said |
| Va bene | OK, fine | Accepting a plan or an instruction |
| D'accordo | Agreed, all right | Accepting a plan; slightly more formal than va bene |
| Volentieri! | Gladly! | Accepting an invitation |
| Magari! | I wish! / If only! | Something you would love but doubt will happen |
A yes can also be a cover. In chapter 2 of a Contos B1 mystery, a baker has just found a gold ring in the ashes of his wood-fired oven and slipped it into his pocket. When a customer asks why he looks odd, he answers much too fast:
"Certo, certo, è il caldo del forno", rispose lui, troppo in fretta.How do you say no politely in Italian?
A bare no to an offer can sound sharp, so add grazie, an apology or a reason. To refuse firmly, Italian has plenty of options too.
No, grazie.
No, thank you.
Purtroppo no.
Unfortunately not.
Mi dispiace, ma non posso.
I'm sorry, but I can't.
Per niente.
Not at all.
Assolutamente no!
Absolutely not!
Neanche per sogno!
No way! (literally "not even in a dream")
Informal and emphatic.
With family, no is quick and firm. In a Contos A1 story, the family planning their grandmother's surprise 80th birthday finds a mysterious note, and Uncle Pino, who is hopeless with secrets, wants to post it in the family group chat at once:
«No, Pino! Niente gruppo!»How do you use no inside a sentence?
As an answer, it is no. Inside a sentence, to make a verb negative, it is non, placed before the verb. You often get both: a no to answer, then non to explain.
No, non ho fame.
No, I'm not hungry.
Non lo so.
I don't know.
Non vedo niente.
I can't see anything.
Italian keeps non with niente, mai and nessuno. A double negative is correct here.
In a Contos A1 romance set in Venice, Giulia gives both answers at once, and the narrator immediately undercuts the second:
Lei risponde: "No. Tutto bene." Ma non è vero.How do you say I think so or I hope not?
Italian puts di before sì and no after verbs of thinking, hoping and saying. These short phrases come up constantly.
Credo di sì.
I think so.
Penso di no.
I don't think so.
Spero di sì!
I hope so!
Ha detto di no.
He said no. / She said no.
Forse. Dipende.
Maybe. It depends.
If you are asked how you are rather than a yes-or-no question, see how to say "How are you?" in Italian.
Read A1 Italian stories with short, clear dialogue, and tap any word for its meaning.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
Why does sì have an accent?
To tell it apart from si, without an accent, which is a pronoun meaning oneself, himself or herself, as in si chiama Marco (he's called Marco). Leaving the accent off yes is a spelling mistake, though a common one in quick messages.
How do you pronounce sì?
Like English "see", short and clean. It never sounds like "sigh". No is a short "noh", without the English glide into "oo".
What does come no mean?
Come no! means "of course!" or "sure!". Depending on tone, it can be a warm yes or a sarcastic "yeah, right", so listen to how it is said.
Is va bene the same as OK?
Very close. Va bene accepts a plan or an instruction, like OK or all right. Italians also say OK (pronounced "oh-KAY") in everyday speech, especially younger people.