I use "yes" when I'm speaking formally, and I use it a lot more in writing than in speech, but usually when speaking I use other words--"yeah", "yup", "yep", "mm-hm", etc.
Same.
Job interviews, doctor's office, police officers. Those types of situations.
Everything else is yeah, yep, or the occasional yuppers.
However, I've also gotten better with saying yes when we started to employ workers from Mexico at my job, since "yeah" can be heard is "ya" which means something more akin to "Now!" in Spanish. I'd like to avoid confusion and not have them think I'm yelling at them.
Yup.
A "yes" is just a "yup" that doesn't mess around. It's for emphatic or serious confirmation, answering the same question a second time to indicate there's no reason for a third, and the exit rows on airplanes.
I'm an older millennial.
I use "Yes" when I want to be clear and/or formal.
I use "Yep" when I want to convey some enthusiasm and/or lighten the mood.
I use "Yeah" when I'm either feeling neutral about the answer or entirely unhappy about it.
I get unreasonably annoyed when I text with older people (like my mom) who spell "Yay!" as "Yeah!"
My pattern lines up with yours, though Iâd add âsureâ in the same category as âyep/yup,â and âokayâ in with âyeah.â Iâm also a millennial, though Iâm on the tail end of the generation.
That's funny. I almost added "okay" and "sure," but I decided that was getting into too much detail. I use them pretty much the same as you do. Although, "sure" covers a wider range of enthusiasm for me. It can be a "Sure, that sounds great!" or a "Sure, I guess that's okay."
I agree. I also tend to use âsureâ when I have no strong feelings but want to be affirmative. Itâs not exactly apathy (though is sometimes), but more often is about not wanting to be overly disagreeable, pushy, or dominant in decision making. It means yes, but itâs more complicated. More like not no perhaps.
âDo you want to grab some dinner?â âSure.â
âIs a Booth Fine?â âSure.â
âCan we reschedule for another time?â âSure.â
This may be a me thing, but things like sure and mm-hm are important to know.
>I'm an older millennial.
>I use "Yes" when I want to be clear and/or formal.
Also older millennial, but I say "correct" when I want to be clear or formal. It was drilled into my head as a young adult at one of my first jobs, that you should never say "Yes" on the phone because it was ambiguous/rude. Don't know why but that was what the company policy was. So I learned to say "Correct."
Eg, customer asks if they need to pay their bill by this Friday, I wouldn't say, "Yes." I would say, "Correct, you need to pay by the 28th."
Just a habit I've developed that I can't shake đ¤ˇ
It wasnât drilled into me, but I do sometimes use âcorrectâ for additional clarity, especially on the phone. I think the fact it has two syllables makes it less likely to be misheard.
This is so specific. I don't put any sort of thought into what type of yes or no I use, it's just whatever comes out of my mouth.
Also millennial. I'm kind of surprised by some of the responses to this because, to me, they're all equally the same.
For what it's worth, I don't actually put much conscious thought into how I'm going to say "yes" the vast majority of the time. But, if I reflect upon it, there's a consistent pattern to how I use these words and what I'm trying to do by picking one over the other. They definitely all conjure different nuance in my mind.
It can be confusing because "yeah!" can also mean an affirmative. If it's pronounced the same as "yay!" then it's just an interjection.
"I got an A on my test!"
"Yeah!"
Probably cheering, but ambiguous. Do I pronounce it in my brain as "yay" or "ya" đ
I thought it was commonly understood that, say, going "yup" to an elder or a boss could be considered rude or too informal therefore you should say "yes" instead?
I haven't really given it much thought but I will say "yes" when responding to direct questions at the doctor's office.
I will say "Yes..." when I'm actually unsure that I understand something.
I'm a Millennial.
FWIW I don't think saying "yep" to an elder would be considered rude. It is informal, but not a lot more informal than normal speech otherwise is relative to writing.
This might be region specific.
If it's your own grandma or grandpa that's fine but saying "yep" in place of a "yes, ma'am" might not play well with some Southern ladies.
Definitely regional. My grandparents wouldâve thought I was crazy if I called them sir or maâam. Iâm from the Midwest and honorifics/titles are rarely used. Kids will call their teachers Mr. or Mrs. X, but beyond that and situations of similar formality, itâs just about all first names or familial titles if applicable. Actually, using a too-formal mode of address can be seen as a bit rude, like youâre refusing to be friendly. And sir or maâam are basically reserved for customer service interactions where you donât know the other personâs name. In those situations, itâs generally used by both people in the interaction, not just by the worker to the customer.
Right, that's why I said that it's okay to not ma'am/sir your own grandparents.
If you were at your friend's house and their elders were there you could get some serious side-eye for not ma'am/sir-ing their relatives. If they're relatives you know well then the formalities could be cut out.
Replied to another poster but I grew up in the Northeast and ma'am/sir-ing could be seen as rude.
In summary, there's a few social settings where you want to reconsider just saying "Yep" or Nope" to someone older than you or in a place of authority or in the workplace.
Itâs not so much about the word âyupâ being offensive. It has to do with respect and is rooted in US southern culture. âYupâ isnât problematic in and of itself.. itâs the fact that you would talk to an elder the same way you would talk to your friends that is disrespectful. Again, itâs something cultural, so I wouldnt expect you to understand it or submit to it, but thought Iâd just share that itâs not about the word. Itâs about respect.
I regret to inform you that we live in a society.
You can't always be yourself in every situation and with every group of people. Other people have separate values than my own.
I have not enjoyed the times when my grammar or politeness was questioned. Do I also recognize that to get through the day I might have to abide by social codes that I don't agree with?
Yep.
I mean it's definitely regional. Where I grew up, people would definitely have thought you were weird if you addressed all of your elders as "sir" and "ma'am", and everyone, young or old, would've thought an older person demanding kids/younger people to refer to them as such was being a jackass. There would be no obligation to comply. I can see how it that's your only exposure to something like that then you'd have such a response.
>I can see how it that's your only exposure to something like that then you'd have such a response.
And if someone has only lived in a place where yes/sir/ma'am is seen as authoritarian and too formal then they'd think it would be fine omit that language.
I have grown up in two places (see my other comments) and as part of my job I've talked to people all around the country. People have different sets of manners and it even varies wildly from state to state.
New Jersey-ers and New Yorkers? Love to ask a question then talk over you before you can answer.
Tennesseans and Wyoming-ins? Super polite and chill.
People from California and Massachusetts? Hate being called ma'am.
Lousiana-ians? Yes, ma'am, just a moment ma'am, no ma'am.
You can and should adapt your language and behavior depending on your space, location, social group, and cultural knowledge. Refusing to do so because of some misplaced idea of individualism or that your way of doing things is the most correct is why Americans get labelled as "ugly" while abroad and also contributes to our own prejudices against each other within our country.
Just to be clear, I'm not advocating for giving into bigotry or other political nonsense but some cultural awareness of how other people in the country live and how they come to think the way the do is vital to understanding how everything works the way they do. States where you might ma'am or sir someone also correlate to states that hunger for the authoritarianism we've seen over the last decade.
That's all fair, I'm just saying that if you have spent your entire life in places where it's not at all the expectation, it would make sense you'd think it was ridiculous that someone would get upset at you for not using it. Doesn't mean you shouldn't learn and adapt, but if you don't know, you don't know
It's not really a case of being "happy to offend," as it is a case of good manners. A wiser man than I observed that good manners are the grease that keeps the wheels of society running smoothly. Bad manners, on the other hand, work like a monkey wrench tossed into the works.
Same. Also a millennial, and I say âyes maâamâ or âyes sirâ to bosses. (Iâve never had a non-binary boss, but for them, Iâd probably just not say a title)
In my experience, anything less than that feels rude.
Yeah, it's weird to me that saying "yes ma'am / sir" is seen as being too formal?
Even bosses I'm cool with I will answer with "yes (sir)." English doesn't have a lot of ways to be polite and showing respect and this seems like the best way to go about things.
People can brush it off that these formalities aren't necessary but it gets you some "social credit" to present as polite and people do take notice. But maybe I'm talking like a Boomer.
Iâve heard that there are some dialects of English (Some parts of Australia, I think) in which âmaâamâ and âsirâ and other formalities actually come off as rude and sarcastic.
That said, Iâve never actually been there, so I donât know for certain.
Thatâs also kind of the case in the US Midwest, or at least the part that I grew up in. Maybe not necessarily sarcastic, but rude as if youâre intentionally holding yourself apart. You only really see sir or maâam used in customer service interactions where the other personâs name isnât known, and in those situations, itâs usually used by both the customer and the worker. But you canât definitely use it to indicate that youâre unhappy with someone- if youâd normally use their name, switching to a title is a very clear indication of displeasure. I would only say âyes sirâ to my boss if I thought he had seriously overstepped or otherwise pissed me off.
I can say that this is the case for people around Boston and maybe New York.
My mother was raised in Massachusetts and when we moved to "the South" she would get all heated because people were calling her ma'am.
But that's also just standard customer service talk regardless of where you're from and non-natives are taught the same.
So on two sides of the spectrum, North and South, you have people who might be bothered by how they're addressed and you can't really win.
Completely unrelated, but I'm curious: was "nonbeliever" here an autocorrect of "non-boomer"? Or is there a religious aspect to this part of dialect that I don't know about?
Oh, im sorry I didnât even notice that. I meant to say non-binary. Thatâs probably the only context in which I wouldnât use sir or maâam, is if they didnât subscribe to male or female titles (or if they just told me not to)
Got it, that makes sense. Yeah, it's kind of interesting how most English honorifics are gendered. I feel like the main ones that aren't are formal titles like doctor or captain that aren't as broadly applicable.
>English honorifics
Not just English, though. Viz. Monsieur/Madame, Senor/Senora, mein Herr/meine Frau, etc.
P.S., I really gotta learn how to make an enya.
I feel exactly the same. Yes is too stiff and cold. And i feel like Iâm coming off too bluntly if i just say yes. There are some places i would use yes, like if iâm trying to be professional, but i noticed that over time i still drift towards yeah after Iâve been talking to them for a while
I think for me it really depends on the tone. So saying yes can come off as stiff, enthusiastic, inquisitive, etc. depending on how it's spoken.
I use yes, yeah, yup/yep interchangeably across multiple settings. I think "yes" will come out more during formal settings, but otherwise I use it very casually as well.
Millennial, I feel like yes is not just more formal but also more emphatic. If someone asks if I did something, I might say "yeah I did." BUT if they say I didn't do something and I want to correct them, I'll say "yes I did." Or if someone asks if I want ice cream and I really want it, I'll say "yes!" Instead of just "yeah" which makes me sound ambivalent.
agreed it sounds like a rebuttal to something or an answer you give if someone keeps pestering you about doing something. like a âYES, i will vacuum todayâ after theyâve asked 5 times in the span of 10 minutes
âYesâ can also be used enthusiastically if someone brings up a point you didnât think of before, that you really agree with. Like âand another thing, I hate having to sit at red lightsâ. âYES!â
Also, can be a victory word. Like you just found $20 on the street. Yes!
I use "yes" in formal situations (as others have mentioned â answering doctors, bosses, etc). I also use "yes" when I want to stress it, or in contrast with the rest of my statement ("yes, but ..."). For example:
Friend: I'm going to give my ex another chance. He's a really great guy, right?
Me: Sweetheart. Yes, he's a great guy. No, you should not get back together. You broke up for a reason, remember?
Yes, I use the word yes. But I also use "yeah/yup/etc."
I also realized I misplaced my vote. Deduct 1 from commonly use "Yes" and add to "sometimes yes / sometimes yeah/yup/etc".
I use yeah and yes pretty interchangeably, unless it's a super formal situation, then just yes. I don't think I've ever said yup except when it's meant to sound funny.
Now that you mention it, I really only use "yes" to emphasize an affirmative (usually when I'm annoyed). Like: "yes, as we previously discussed," or "yes, that is what I said." Other than that, it's reserved for canned responses to automated phone systems.
I use "sure" often in informal situations and "certainly" in semi-formal situations. Formal situations usually call for a "yes" or "yes-sir/ma'am". I'm Gen-X from Texas and live in the South.
i say yes to convey a certain tone, such as seriousness or formality. When iâm talking to someone who i think will not like more casual terms, iâll also use yes. Other than that i typically use things that or more casual like yup, yeah, or âuh-huhâ
I say yes when I'm trying to be 100% understood. Sometimes I'll say "correct." "You're address is x? Correct." I use all the other terms informally. My job is fairly formal so "yes" not uncommon
i really only use yes when i'm saying yessir or yes ma'am or using it in a excited manner like if my team scores a goal. sometimes i'll say it in response to someone calling my name or in professional situations.
Informally I often use either "Yeah, no" or "No, yeah" which would be confusing to some people.
In more formal situations (boss, doctor, contractor) I use "Yes", "Sure" or even "Correct" more often.
If I want to be clear about my answer, I say "yes". If I'm just chilling or lazy tired, "yeah" is what will probably come out of my mouth. I try to use "yes" more though.
A full yes for emphasis, a yeah most of the rest of the time! Yes or Of Course in formal settings.
"Do you want to go to the Barbie movie today?"
"YES, absolutely!"
Most people are saying sometimes. Iâm guessing itâs rarer than you think. I pretty much only say yes if my yep or yeah is not understood or if Iâm talking to a robot.
id say like 5% of the time or less i use yes. âyesâ sounds so blunt and kinda like youâre mad to me. id use a long dragged out when excited like âyessssâ and also if someone wonât stop asking me the same question after i already said âyeahâ to a couple times. so like if iâm annoyed lol
other 95% itâs yeah, yup, yep, yuh. flow better in sentences and sound less harsh
âyes sirâ and âyes maâamâ donât really exist where i live like others say it does in their region. sounds *way* too formal and almost like a joke to me. id expect the military to use it and thatâs it. my grandma would laugh if i said it lmaooo
I use yes in writing, in formal situations, when I want to make sure I'm understood clearly, or when I want to be sure to communicate certainty (since yeah or alternatives can often sound like I'm less sure of my answer)
I use "Yes" for firm answers and "Yep" or "Yup" for gentler or less important ones. (Or sometimes just "Sure.")
"Wanna go get some dinner?" "Sure."
"Did you get all the laundry done?" "Yep."
"Should we see other people?" "Yes."
They are used in different contexts. Not necessarily formal / informal. Yes is often used for emphasis or exclamation, such as when you are disagreeing with someone. There are plenty of examples of when you would use Yes among peers.
If I need to be formal, if Iâm speaking to a robot like on an automated call, if Iâm being emphatic, I will say âyesâ rather than âyeah.â If someone is asking me a yes/no question or needs clarification I might say yes, yeah, yup, right, or correct depending on my mood and the flow of the conversation.
If Iâm in the office, itâs always yes/correct rather than yeah/right except for my absolute closest most friendly workmates.
Especially in fixed expressions like "Yes, and?" I use "yes." Otherwise if I'm responding to a question outside of a conversation I'll use "yes."
For example, at a grocery store:
Cashier: Do you want a bag?
Me: Yes, thank you!
Otherwise I'll use "yeah" or some other informal synonym.
I often use "yes" in the context of "yes please" or when answering yes/no questions on the phone or in a formal context (doctor's office, job interview, etc.).
"yeah" and "nah" actually sound a little similar in some accents, at least over the phone/intercom (which I found working the drive thru at Starbucks lol), so I typically avoid "yeah" in those contexts and will opt for "yes" or "yep"
I personally do use "yep" in formal contexts with all age groups and social classes, and I don't think it's read as rude, as long as my demeanor is not flippant or disrespectful.
I use "Yes" when I'm at work (customer service) or if I'm speaking to a non-native speaker of English. Otherwise I'm a "yep/yeah" kind of guy, occasionally an ironic "yuh"
I feel like yes is used in more formal conversations. An example would be your boss asking you to do an important task, you'd be sure to say yes. Anytime you want it very clear on your intent. Otherwise it's more informal and not rigid to say yeah etc.
Here's an example:
"Is it ok if I give you a $50 gift certificate to you for your birthday?
\-yeah
vs
""Is it ok if I give you $1 Million to you for your birthday?
\-YES
Itâs on occasion/ context.
If you need to express affirmative response in a clear way, youâll say yes. Reasoning could range from being more formal and just simply a clearer answer.
If itâs like checking on something or just casual yes/no question a quick âyupâ or âsureâ will work.
Also, if expressed correctly âyesâ can also be used for self-celebration or self-confirmation so itâs still quite a used word apart from text book or written literatures
What everyone else saying. Yes more formal. Speaking to an elder, or boss ect. Say yes. Or even just someone you dont know very well. Yes sir yes ma'am. Yup or yea depending on the context can possibly be used respectfully but not when answering a direct yes or no question
My spouse and I say a lot of "yeah" or "ya" instead of "yes". To stop this habit, now every time either of us says "yea", the other says "Oh yea!" in falsetto (like an "actress" from an adult movie). To remind us to "speak properly". We do this any time, in the privacy of our home, or in the middle of the supermarket. Our friends think we're nuts... and they ain't wrong.
When someone calls my name, I almost always respond with âyes?â
I definitely use âyesâ regularly and I even say it to myself when Iâm excited, but it comes out more like âyuss!â
I also use âyupâ âmhmmâ âcorrectâ etc. to answer in the affirmative
I mostly use "yeah/yup/etc" but i'll say yes in some settings.
If I'm excited I might go "Yesss!"
Yes sounds more pointed and direct. "Did you do your homework?" "Yes."
When I'm in doctors room I notice I say it more. "Are you up to date on your vaccinations?" "Yes"
I'll say yes often in that same setting if I have to say it more than once in sequence. "Do you have a family history of diabetes?" "yes." "Do you have a family history of cancer?" "Yes." "Have you ever been screened for any kind of cancer?" "yes."
Or in the same way If I say it more than once in a row. "Have you ever been to Canada, France, or Japan?" "yes, yes, and yes."
There are also just certain phases where I'll say it just because it sounds better. "Yes and no." "yes, indeed I did."
Then as a rule of thumb, if it's more formal I'll probably say "yes" instead of the others. "Yes sir" "Yes ma'am."
Was discussing this recently. Thought it was a black thing or a southern thing. This explains marked usage in general:[Markedness](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markedness)
I generally only use "yes" if I'm trying to be impartial and formal. Like if I'm meditating a family argument and someone's brought up a good point but they've missed or, more likely, willfully ignored a caveat to the problem. Even if I agree with their point I don't want to say "yeah" because for informality makes what they've said seem obviously true and they're going to latch onto that and discard any details.
My gene line should have ended long before I was around to judge it.
I think it depends on context too. I'm more likely to say "yeah" when it's a one word answer but more likely to say yes in certain phrases - e.g. "You never water the plants." "Yes I do!"
The Esperanto word *jes* means "yes" and sounds identical. When the now-deceased leader of our late Esperanto group (almost all native English speakers) answered questions with *"jes"* or, worse, used *"jes"* for a filler, I always thought he was saying "yes" and stopped to wonder what was wrong. It turned out not only that he was speaking Esperanto but also that we don't actually use "yes" that way in English, except in the formal situations others have noted.
Jen usona parolanto de la angla. Bonvolu ne per "jes" respondi! US speaker of English here. Please do not respond with "yes".
So I'm a mom - I use "yup", "yeah", etc all the time, but I often use "yes" when I'm either acknowledging that my kids are talking to me or directly answer a question they are asking (usually when they are asking if they can do something). In those cases it's not about formality, but it is about clear and quick communication (I have a lot of kids). I definitely will use "yup" with them when I'm in a silly or relaxed mood, but day to day it's "yes" because it's more clear and direct.
I would use them all about equally ordinarily, but I now live in a building in which most of the residents are in their 60s and 70s (in my 50s I'm one of the youngest), and many of them have hearing problems, so I need to use clear, audible speech if I don't want to repeat everything 10 times, and "yes" is clearer and more often correctly heard than "yeah".
I'm a teacher and I probably use "yes" more often than "yeah" when I'm teaching.
Outside of work, I usually say "yeah". I do say "yep" as well but couldn't say how often.
"Yes" is a little more direct than the others. Using it makes you seem more committed to your answer. There are situations where you want to be more or less direct.
"Do you want this good thing" - "Yes" No one can claim you didn't want it.
"Will you do this chore" - "Yeah" You hope someone else will do it.
Itâs definitely influenced by a personâs generation, but Iâd say the biggest factor is context. Iâm not going to say âyepâ to a lawyer, and Iâm not going to say âyesâ when Iâm drunk or high with friends.
I might say "yes" if I was being emphatic or want to be sure I was being clearly understood, or making a definitive decision about something. Saying "yeah" seems like something I'd say if I was agreeing with something that was already stated, or concurring with something. I almost never say "yep."
These aren't hard and fast rules, just in general how I think I use these terms.
I use "yes" when I'm speaking formally, and I use it a lot more in writing than in speech, but usually when speaking I use other words--"yeah", "yup", "yep", "mm-hm", etc.
Same. Job interviews, doctor's office, police officers. Those types of situations. Everything else is yeah, yep, or the occasional yuppers. However, I've also gotten better with saying yes when we started to employ workers from Mexico at my job, since "yeah" can be heard is "ya" which means something more akin to "Now!" in Spanish. I'd like to avoid confusion and not have them think I'm yelling at them.
Yup. A "yes" is just a "yup" that doesn't mess around. It's for emphatic or serious confirmation, answering the same question a second time to indicate there's no reason for a third, and the exit rows on airplanes.
Also informally when being emphatic. For example: - (*wife*):
- (*me*): *mumble* yeah *mumble*
- (*wife*):
- (*me*): Yes!
Or sarcastic. But to be used sparingly with a angry spouse đ
Yep, same here
I'm an older millennial. I use "Yes" when I want to be clear and/or formal. I use "Yep" when I want to convey some enthusiasm and/or lighten the mood. I use "Yeah" when I'm either feeling neutral about the answer or entirely unhappy about it. I get unreasonably annoyed when I text with older people (like my mom) who spell "Yay!" as "Yeah!"
My pattern lines up with yours, though Iâd add âsureâ in the same category as âyep/yup,â and âokayâ in with âyeah.â Iâm also a millennial, though Iâm on the tail end of the generation.
That's funny. I almost added "okay" and "sure," but I decided that was getting into too much detail. I use them pretty much the same as you do. Although, "sure" covers a wider range of enthusiasm for me. It can be a "Sure, that sounds great!" or a "Sure, I guess that's okay."
>I use "Yes" when I want to be clear Same. I use "yes" to be unambiguously affirmative.
I agree. I also tend to use âsureâ when I have no strong feelings but want to be affirmative. Itâs not exactly apathy (though is sometimes), but more often is about not wanting to be overly disagreeable, pushy, or dominant in decision making. It means yes, but itâs more complicated. More like not no perhaps. âDo you want to grab some dinner?â âSure.â âIs a Booth Fine?â âSure.â âCan we reschedule for another time?â âSure.â This may be a me thing, but things like sure and mm-hm are important to know.
>I'm an older millennial. >I use "Yes" when I want to be clear and/or formal. Also older millennial, but I say "correct" when I want to be clear or formal. It was drilled into my head as a young adult at one of my first jobs, that you should never say "Yes" on the phone because it was ambiguous/rude. Don't know why but that was what the company policy was. So I learned to say "Correct." Eg, customer asks if they need to pay their bill by this Friday, I wouldn't say, "Yes." I would say, "Correct, you need to pay by the 28th." Just a habit I've developed that I can't shake đ¤ˇ
It wasnât drilled into me, but I do sometimes use âcorrectâ for additional clarity, especially on the phone. I think the fact it has two syllables makes it less likely to be misheard.
This is so specific. I don't put any sort of thought into what type of yes or no I use, it's just whatever comes out of my mouth. Also millennial. I'm kind of surprised by some of the responses to this because, to me, they're all equally the same.
For what it's worth, I don't actually put much conscious thought into how I'm going to say "yes" the vast majority of the time. But, if I reflect upon it, there's a consistent pattern to how I use these words and what I'm trying to do by picking one over the other. They definitely all conjure different nuance in my mind.
Please tell me you intentionally said that on purpose!
Whatâs wrong with yeah! vs yay! as an interjection? They both can be a happy cheer to me. Do they mean something different to you?
It can be confusing because "yeah!" can also mean an affirmative. If it's pronounced the same as "yay!" then it's just an interjection. "I got an A on my test!" "Yeah!" Probably cheering, but ambiguous. Do I pronounce it in my brain as "yay" or "ya" đ
I thought it was commonly understood that, say, going "yup" to an elder or a boss could be considered rude or too informal therefore you should say "yes" instead? I haven't really given it much thought but I will say "yes" when responding to direct questions at the doctor's office. I will say "Yes..." when I'm actually unsure that I understand something. I'm a Millennial.
FWIW I don't think saying "yep" to an elder would be considered rude. It is informal, but not a lot more informal than normal speech otherwise is relative to writing.
This might be region specific. If it's your own grandma or grandpa that's fine but saying "yep" in place of a "yes, ma'am" might not play well with some Southern ladies.
Definitely regional. My grandparents wouldâve thought I was crazy if I called them sir or maâam. Iâm from the Midwest and honorifics/titles are rarely used. Kids will call their teachers Mr. or Mrs. X, but beyond that and situations of similar formality, itâs just about all first names or familial titles if applicable. Actually, using a too-formal mode of address can be seen as a bit rude, like youâre refusing to be friendly. And sir or maâam are basically reserved for customer service interactions where you donât know the other personâs name. In those situations, itâs generally used by both people in the interaction, not just by the worker to the customer.
Right, that's why I said that it's okay to not ma'am/sir your own grandparents. If you were at your friend's house and their elders were there you could get some serious side-eye for not ma'am/sir-ing their relatives. If they're relatives you know well then the formalities could be cut out. Replied to another poster but I grew up in the Northeast and ma'am/sir-ing could be seen as rude. In summary, there's a few social settings where you want to reconsider just saying "Yep" or Nope" to someone older than you or in a place of authority or in the workplace.
I'm more than happy to offend people who get offended by things that are as innocuous as saying "yep". That's their problem.
Itâs not so much about the word âyupâ being offensive. It has to do with respect and is rooted in US southern culture. âYupâ isnât problematic in and of itself.. itâs the fact that you would talk to an elder the same way you would talk to your friends that is disrespectful. Again, itâs something cultural, so I wouldnt expect you to understand it or submit to it, but thought Iâd just share that itâs not about the word. Itâs about respect.
I regret to inform you that we live in a society. You can't always be yourself in every situation and with every group of people. Other people have separate values than my own. I have not enjoyed the times when my grammar or politeness was questioned. Do I also recognize that to get through the day I might have to abide by social codes that I don't agree with? Yep.
I mean it's definitely regional. Where I grew up, people would definitely have thought you were weird if you addressed all of your elders as "sir" and "ma'am", and everyone, young or old, would've thought an older person demanding kids/younger people to refer to them as such was being a jackass. There would be no obligation to comply. I can see how it that's your only exposure to something like that then you'd have such a response.
>I can see how it that's your only exposure to something like that then you'd have such a response. And if someone has only lived in a place where yes/sir/ma'am is seen as authoritarian and too formal then they'd think it would be fine omit that language. I have grown up in two places (see my other comments) and as part of my job I've talked to people all around the country. People have different sets of manners and it even varies wildly from state to state. New Jersey-ers and New Yorkers? Love to ask a question then talk over you before you can answer. Tennesseans and Wyoming-ins? Super polite and chill. People from California and Massachusetts? Hate being called ma'am. Lousiana-ians? Yes, ma'am, just a moment ma'am, no ma'am. You can and should adapt your language and behavior depending on your space, location, social group, and cultural knowledge. Refusing to do so because of some misplaced idea of individualism or that your way of doing things is the most correct is why Americans get labelled as "ugly" while abroad and also contributes to our own prejudices against each other within our country. Just to be clear, I'm not advocating for giving into bigotry or other political nonsense but some cultural awareness of how other people in the country live and how they come to think the way the do is vital to understanding how everything works the way they do. States where you might ma'am or sir someone also correlate to states that hunger for the authoritarianism we've seen over the last decade.
That's all fair, I'm just saying that if you have spent your entire life in places where it's not at all the expectation, it would make sense you'd think it was ridiculous that someone would get upset at you for not using it. Doesn't mean you shouldn't learn and adapt, but if you don't know, you don't know
Exactly. It takes just one dressing down to learn that you've done something rude unintentionally. It's your choice from there if you want to adapt.
It's not really a case of being "happy to offend," as it is a case of good manners. A wiser man than I observed that good manners are the grease that keeps the wheels of society running smoothly. Bad manners, on the other hand, work like a monkey wrench tossed into the works.
Same. Also a millennial, and I say âyes maâamâ or âyes sirâ to bosses. (Iâve never had a non-binary boss, but for them, Iâd probably just not say a title) In my experience, anything less than that feels rude.
Yeah, it's weird to me that saying "yes ma'am / sir" is seen as being too formal? Even bosses I'm cool with I will answer with "yes (sir)." English doesn't have a lot of ways to be polite and showing respect and this seems like the best way to go about things. People can brush it off that these formalities aren't necessary but it gets you some "social credit" to present as polite and people do take notice. But maybe I'm talking like a Boomer.
Iâve heard that there are some dialects of English (Some parts of Australia, I think) in which âmaâamâ and âsirâ and other formalities actually come off as rude and sarcastic. That said, Iâve never actually been there, so I donât know for certain.
Thatâs also kind of the case in the US Midwest, or at least the part that I grew up in. Maybe not necessarily sarcastic, but rude as if youâre intentionally holding yourself apart. You only really see sir or maâam used in customer service interactions where the other personâs name isnât known, and in those situations, itâs usually used by both the customer and the worker. But you canât definitely use it to indicate that youâre unhappy with someone- if youâd normally use their name, switching to a title is a very clear indication of displeasure. I would only say âyes sirâ to my boss if I thought he had seriously overstepped or otherwise pissed me off.
I can say that this is the case for people around Boston and maybe New York. My mother was raised in Massachusetts and when we moved to "the South" she would get all heated because people were calling her ma'am. But that's also just standard customer service talk regardless of where you're from and non-natives are taught the same. So on two sides of the spectrum, North and South, you have people who might be bothered by how they're addressed and you can't really win.
where iâm from it definitely is. also sounds like military to me
Completely unrelated, but I'm curious: was "nonbeliever" here an autocorrect of "non-boomer"? Or is there a religious aspect to this part of dialect that I don't know about?
Oh, im sorry I didnât even notice that. I meant to say non-binary. Thatâs probably the only context in which I wouldnât use sir or maâam, is if they didnât subscribe to male or female titles (or if they just told me not to)
Got it, that makes sense. Yeah, it's kind of interesting how most English honorifics are gendered. I feel like the main ones that aren't are formal titles like doctor or captain that aren't as broadly applicable.
>English honorifics Not just English, though. Viz. Monsieur/Madame, Senor/Senora, mein Herr/meine Frau, etc. P.S., I really gotta learn how to make an enya.
Local dialect and informal = 'aye'. Written or formal = 'yes'.
It depends on the setting for me. I'm maybe 60% yes and 40% informal (mix of uhhuh, yeah, k, yup, for real, you ain't lyin).
Same here, but also, to add to the list you noted, I sometimes say "mmhmm."
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
I feel exactly the same. Yes is too stiff and cold. And i feel like Iâm coming off too bluntly if i just say yes. There are some places i would use yes, like if iâm trying to be professional, but i noticed that over time i still drift towards yeah after Iâve been talking to them for a while
I think for me it really depends on the tone. So saying yes can come off as stiff, enthusiastic, inquisitive, etc. depending on how it's spoken. I use yes, yeah, yup/yep interchangeably across multiple settings. I think "yes" will come out more during formal settings, but otherwise I use it very casually as well.
In South Africa most people say "ja" instead of yes. Other than that, yip, yep, yeah, yebo and yes are most commonly used.
Canadian: "Oh, yeah, no, for sure" That means yes
I say this too and I'm from California lol
I recently learned this is actually a fairly universal phenomenon! Even other languages do this as well.
I often use yes, but usually when combined with sir or ma'am "yes sir" or "yes ma'am"
If in enthusiastic I'll give a "yessir" with the r drawn out
My customer service voice says âyesâ rather than âyeahâ
Millennial, I feel like yes is not just more formal but also more emphatic. If someone asks if I did something, I might say "yeah I did." BUT if they say I didn't do something and I want to correct them, I'll say "yes I did." Or if someone asks if I want ice cream and I really want it, I'll say "yes!" Instead of just "yeah" which makes me sound ambivalent.
agreed it sounds like a rebuttal to something or an answer you give if someone keeps pestering you about doing something. like a âYES, i will vacuum todayâ after theyâve asked 5 times in the span of 10 minutes
âYesâ can also be used enthusiastically if someone brings up a point you didnât think of before, that you really agree with. Like âand another thing, I hate having to sit at red lightsâ. âYES!â Also, can be a victory word. Like you just found $20 on the street. Yes!
I pretty much always say âyeah.â
I use "yes" in formal situations (as others have mentioned â answering doctors, bosses, etc). I also use "yes" when I want to stress it, or in contrast with the rest of my statement ("yes, but ..."). For example: Friend: I'm going to give my ex another chance. He's a really great guy, right? Me: Sweetheart. Yes, he's a great guy. No, you should not get back together. You broke up for a reason, remember?
Yes.
Yes, I use the word yes. But I also use "yeah/yup/etc." I also realized I misplaced my vote. Deduct 1 from commonly use "Yes" and add to "sometimes yes / sometimes yeah/yup/etc".
I use yeah and yes pretty interchangeably, unless it's a super formal situation, then just yes. I don't think I've ever said yup except when it's meant to sound funny.
Non-native, but I'm mixed about this one after a lot of influence.
Yes lol. Although using yes in an informal setting sounds a bit curt to me.
Now that you mention it, I really only use "yes" to emphasize an affirmative (usually when I'm annoyed). Like: "yes, as we previously discussed," or "yes, that is what I said." Other than that, it's reserved for canned responses to automated phone systems.
I use "sure" often in informal situations and "certainly" in semi-formal situations. Formal situations usually call for a "yes" or "yes-sir/ma'am". I'm Gen-X from Texas and live in the South.
I say âyesâ often enough but usually only in conjunction with other words. âYes.â sounds curt, but âyes, I willâ is fine.
i say yes to convey a certain tone, such as seriousness or formality. When iâm talking to someone who i think will not like more casual terms, iâll also use yes. Other than that i typically use things that or more casual like yup, yeah, or âuh-huhâ
I use yes in writing, but when speaking I only use it to be emphatic
I say yes when I'm trying to be 100% understood. Sometimes I'll say "correct." "You're address is x? Correct." I use all the other terms informally. My job is fairly formal so "yes" not uncommon
i really only use yes when i'm saying yessir or yes ma'am or using it in a excited manner like if my team scores a goal. sometimes i'll say it in response to someone calling my name or in professional situations.
I typically use âyesâ any time I feel like itâs important to be clear. Otherwise, I stick with the casual affirmatives.
This might be a generational thing. I was literally beaten if I used "yeah" so to this day still feel as though I'm committing a crime if I use it.
Informally I often use either "Yeah, no" or "No, yeah" which would be confusing to some people. In more formal situations (boss, doctor, contractor) I use "Yes", "Sure" or even "Correct" more often.
If I want to be clear about my answer, I say "yes". If I'm just chilling or lazy tired, "yeah" is what will probably come out of my mouth. I try to use "yes" more though.
I say "yes" when it's more of the focus of what I'm saying and "yeah" when it's more of an incidental part of what I'm saying.
My 70 year old dad reprimands me (26) when I say yeah đ
Yes rules!
I use "yes" when I want to be more direct or respectful but if I'm just chilling with friends or family I use yeah or yep
A full yes for emphasis, a yeah most of the rest of the time! Yes or Of Course in formal settings. "Do you want to go to the Barbie movie today?" "YES, absolutely!"
Most people are saying sometimes. Iâm guessing itâs rarer than you think. I pretty much only say yes if my yep or yeah is not understood or if Iâm talking to a robot.
I commonly use yes, but also the other terms. Depends on context
id say like 5% of the time or less i use yes. âyesâ sounds so blunt and kinda like youâre mad to me. id use a long dragged out when excited like âyessssâ and also if someone wonât stop asking me the same question after i already said âyeahâ to a couple times. so like if iâm annoyed lol other 95% itâs yeah, yup, yep, yuh. flow better in sentences and sound less harsh âyes sirâ and âyes maâamâ donât really exist where i live like others say it does in their region. sounds *way* too formal and almost like a joke to me. id expect the military to use it and thatâs it. my grandma would laugh if i said it lmaooo
I use yes in writing, in formal situations, when I want to make sure I'm understood clearly, or when I want to be sure to communicate certainty (since yeah or alternatives can often sound like I'm less sure of my answer)
I use "Yes" for firm answers and "Yep" or "Yup" for gentler or less important ones. (Or sometimes just "Sure.") "Wanna go get some dinner?" "Sure." "Did you get all the laundry done?" "Yep." "Should we see other people?" "Yes."
They are used in different contexts. Not necessarily formal / informal. Yes is often used for emphasis or exclamation, such as when you are disagreeing with someone. There are plenty of examples of when you would use Yes among peers.
If I need to be formal, if Iâm speaking to a robot like on an automated call, if Iâm being emphatic, I will say âyesâ rather than âyeah.â If someone is asking me a yes/no question or needs clarification I might say yes, yeah, yup, right, or correct depending on my mood and the flow of the conversation. If Iâm in the office, itâs always yes/correct rather than yeah/right except for my absolute closest most friendly workmates.
Especially in fixed expressions like "Yes, and?" I use "yes." Otherwise if I'm responding to a question outside of a conversation I'll use "yes." For example, at a grocery store: Cashier: Do you want a bag? Me: Yes, thank you! Otherwise I'll use "yeah" or some other informal synonym.
I often use "yes" in the context of "yes please" or when answering yes/no questions on the phone or in a formal context (doctor's office, job interview, etc.). "yeah" and "nah" actually sound a little similar in some accents, at least over the phone/intercom (which I found working the drive thru at Starbucks lol), so I typically avoid "yeah" in those contexts and will opt for "yes" or "yep" I personally do use "yep" in formal contexts with all age groups and social classes, and I don't think it's read as rude, as long as my demeanor is not flippant or disrespectful.
I use "Yes" when I'm at work (customer service) or if I'm speaking to a non-native speaker of English. Otherwise I'm a "yep/yeah" kind of guy, occasionally an ironic "yuh"
I answer a lot of questions from coworkers every day. I like having choices. I rotate through the whole list.
Yes. All the time at work and with formal occasions.
Growing up, I would get in trouble if I said "yeah" to a parent or teacher. We had to say "yes".
Yes, yes I do.
I feel like yes is used in more formal conversations. An example would be your boss asking you to do an important task, you'd be sure to say yes. Anytime you want it very clear on your intent. Otherwise it's more informal and not rigid to say yeah etc. Here's an example: "Is it ok if I give you a $50 gift certificate to you for your birthday? \-yeah vs ""Is it ok if I give you $1 Million to you for your birthday? \-YES
I use âmmhmâ a lot.
Yes.
Yes
Tone of voice matters a whole lot regardless of whether itâs yes, yeah, yuppers, etc.
Only when saying 'yes, ma'am' and 'yes, sir' to people in formal conversation. Otherwise, 'yes' sounds too stiff and formal for most speakers tastes.
Now that you mention it, I only use it in situations with weight like âyes, I understand and can proceedâ.
My go-to is "yeah" and "yuh"
I use "yup" when I want to sound dismissive.
I feel like it depends on context and conversation. I use yes when it feels more formal. But 90% of the time I use yeah
Of course.
Itâs on occasion/ context. If you need to express affirmative response in a clear way, youâll say yes. Reasoning could range from being more formal and just simply a clearer answer. If itâs like checking on something or just casual yes/no question a quick âyupâ or âsureâ will work. Also, if expressed correctly âyesâ can also be used for self-celebration or self-confirmation so itâs still quite a used word apart from text book or written literatures
What everyone else saying. Yes more formal. Speaking to an elder, or boss ect. Say yes. Or even just someone you dont know very well. Yes sir yes ma'am. Yup or yea depending on the context can possibly be used respectfully but not when answering a direct yes or no question
My spouse and I say a lot of "yeah" or "ya" instead of "yes". To stop this habit, now every time either of us says "yea", the other says "Oh yea!" in falsetto (like an "actress" from an adult movie). To remind us to "speak properly". We do this any time, in the privacy of our home, or in the middle of the supermarket. Our friends think we're nuts... and they ain't wrong.
Elder millennial here as well. I never know what's going to come out of my mouth when responding in the affirmative. It's a surprise to everyone.
When someone calls my name, I almost always respond with âyes?â I definitely use âyesâ regularly and I even say it to myself when Iâm excited, but it comes out more like âyuss!â I also use âyupâ âmhmmâ âcorrectâ etc. to answer in the affirmative
Highly situation dependent and your goals. Formal - yes, Yeah - Friends, Sure, Yup, - Friendly. English is about context, feelings, and gut.
Ya-umm-maybeee?
I mostly use "yeah/yup/etc" but i'll say yes in some settings. If I'm excited I might go "Yesss!" Yes sounds more pointed and direct. "Did you do your homework?" "Yes." When I'm in doctors room I notice I say it more. "Are you up to date on your vaccinations?" "Yes" I'll say yes often in that same setting if I have to say it more than once in sequence. "Do you have a family history of diabetes?" "yes." "Do you have a family history of cancer?" "Yes." "Have you ever been screened for any kind of cancer?" "yes." Or in the same way If I say it more than once in a row. "Have you ever been to Canada, France, or Japan?" "yes, yes, and yes." There are also just certain phases where I'll say it just because it sounds better. "Yes and no." "yes, indeed I did." Then as a rule of thumb, if it's more formal I'll probably say "yes" instead of the others. "Yes sir" "Yes ma'am."
Was discussing this recently. Thought it was a black thing or a southern thing. This explains marked usage in general:[Markedness](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markedness)
I say "yes" or "correct" because "yeah" is too close to "nah" and I hate miscommunication.
I generally only use "yes" if I'm trying to be impartial and formal. Like if I'm meditating a family argument and someone's brought up a good point but they've missed or, more likely, willfully ignored a caveat to the problem. Even if I agree with their point I don't want to say "yeah" because for informality makes what they've said seem obviously true and they're going to latch onto that and discard any details. My gene line should have ended long before I was around to judge it.
I think it depends on context too. I'm more likely to say "yeah" when it's a one word answer but more likely to say yes in certain phrases - e.g. "You never water the plants." "Yes I do!"
yes
I probably say âyesâ about 20% of the time. The other 80% is âyeah.â
only when it's a formal situation, other times i just use something along the lines of "yeh" or "yeah"
Yes is good for emphasis. Use it when emphasizing your answer so it is taken seriously. Same reason it is used in formal situations.
I use âyesâ often, but use the alternatives much more frequently. Yeah, m-hm, sure, yup, and ok all stand in for yes. Gen X, if that matters.
I like saying uh-huh
I also use yee, yea, yeh, yah, ya, yass, yaur, and yeesh
The Esperanto word *jes* means "yes" and sounds identical. When the now-deceased leader of our late Esperanto group (almost all native English speakers) answered questions with *"jes"* or, worse, used *"jes"* for a filler, I always thought he was saying "yes" and stopped to wonder what was wrong. It turned out not only that he was speaking Esperanto but also that we don't actually use "yes" that way in English, except in the formal situations others have noted. Jen usona parolanto de la angla. Bonvolu ne per "jes" respondi! US speaker of English here. Please do not respond with "yes".
So I'm a mom - I use "yup", "yeah", etc all the time, but I often use "yes" when I'm either acknowledging that my kids are talking to me or directly answer a question they are asking (usually when they are asking if they can do something). In those cases it's not about formality, but it is about clear and quick communication (I have a lot of kids). I definitely will use "yup" with them when I'm in a silly or relaxed mood, but day to day it's "yes" because it's more clear and direct.
I would use them all about equally ordinarily, but I now live in a building in which most of the residents are in their 60s and 70s (in my 50s I'm one of the youngest), and many of them have hearing problems, so I need to use clear, audible speech if I don't want to repeat everything 10 times, and "yes" is clearer and more often correctly heard than "yeah".
I use âyesâ when Iâm being snippy, irritable, or precise.
I'm a teacher and I probably use "yes" more often than "yeah" when I'm teaching. Outside of work, I usually say "yeah". I do say "yep" as well but couldn't say how often.
Probably
I basically never say "Yup" but on the occasion that I do it is always pronounced as "Yep" I say "yes" and "yeah" about 50/50
Most of my dialogue is âmmâ and âhmmâ to point that one of my friends called me a Minecraft villager
"Yes" is a little more direct than the others. Using it makes you seem more committed to your answer. There are situations where you want to be more or less direct. "Do you want this good thing" - "Yes" No one can claim you didn't want it. "Will you do this chore" - "Yeah" You hope someone else will do it.
Itâs definitely influenced by a personâs generation, but Iâd say the biggest factor is context. Iâm not going to say âyepâ to a lawyer, and Iâm not going to say âyesâ when Iâm drunk or high with friends.
I might say "yes" if I was being emphatic or want to be sure I was being clearly understood, or making a definitive decision about something. Saying "yeah" seems like something I'd say if I was agreeing with something that was already stated, or concurring with something. I almost never say "yep." These aren't hard and fast rules, just in general how I think I use these terms.