1
- used to give an affirmative response用于表示肯定的回答是, 是的, 好的：
'Do you understand?' 'Yes'.
“你明白吗？”“是的”。
1.1
- expressing agreement with a positive statement just made用于对肯定的陈述表示同意是的：
'That was a grand evening.' 'Yes, it was.'
“那真是个盛大的晚会。” “是的, 的确是。”
1.2
- expressing contradiction of a negative statement用于反驳否定的陈述不, 不对：
'You don't want to go.' 'Yes, I do.'
“你不想去。”“不, 我想去。”
2
- used as a response to someone addressing one or otherwise trying to attract one's attention［用作对说话对方招呼自己或以其他方式引起自己注意的回答］噢, 嗳, 嗯：
'Oh, Mr Lawrence.' 'Yes?'
“噢, 劳伦斯先生。”“嗯？”。
3
- used to question a remark or ask for more detail about it用于就说话对方所说的话提出疑问或询问详情是吗, 真的吗：
'It should be easy to check.' 'Oh yes? How?'
“这很容易查对。”“哦, 真的吗？怎么查对？”
3.1
- asked at the end of a statement to indicate the expectation of agreement用于句末表示期待同意是吗, 是这样吧, 对吧：
you think I perhaps killed Westbourne, yes?
你认为也许是我杀了威斯特伯恩, 是这样吧？
4
- encouraging someone to continue speaking［鼓励某人说下去］嗯, 怎么样：
'When you bought those photographs...' 'Yes?'
“你买这些照片时…”“嗯？”
5
- expressing delight表示高兴是的, 太好了：
plenty to eat, including hot hamburger sandwiches (yes!).
有好多吃的, 还有热汉堡三明治（太好了！）
6
- expressing irritation or impatience用以表达愤怒或不耐烦行了; 得了：
'Is the pain still there?' 'Yes, yes, damn you, the pain is always there.
“还疼吗？”“得了, 得了, 他妈的, 一直都疼。”
(pl. yeses或yesses)
- an affirmative answer or decision, especially in voting肯定的回答; 同意, 赞成; ［尤指表决时的］赞成, 同意：
answering with assured and ardent yeses.
明确而热烈地回答“赞成”。
短语
yes and no
- partly and partly not也是也不是, 不能说定：
'Did it come as a surprise to you?' 'Yes and no.'
“这对你来说是意外吗？”“既是也不是。”
词源
Old English gēse, gīse, probably from an unrecorded phrase meaning 'may it be so'.