Hello vocabulary voyagers!
Today we embark on the exploration of "agreement" or "affirmation" words, those small jewels that add emphasis to our affirmations and nods. Mastering them will help you sound more fluent and confident in English.
Here's a mini-guide for you:
- Formal : yes (sí), agree (de acuerdo), certainly (ciertamente), indeed (de hecho)
- Informal : sure (claro), totally (totalmente), absolutely (absolutamente)
These friends can also be grouped by their emphasis:
- Strong: absolutely, totally, certainly, indeed
- Simple: yes, sure, agree
Choosing the right one depends on the context. In a professional environment, you'd opt for a formal one, while with friends, an informal one is perfect.
Let's see how they look in action:
- Formal: "Do you agree with my point about the importance of education?" "Certainly, I do." (¿Estás de acuerdo con mi punto sobre la importancia de la educación? Ciertamente, estoy de acuerdo.)
- Informal: "Can you help me with this task?" "Sure, I'd be happy to." (¿Me puedes ayudar con esta tarea? Claro, con gusto.)
And a little extra:
- "Is it going to rain today?" "Indeed, it seems so." (¿Va a llover hoy? De hecho, parece que sí.)
To spice up our linguistic journey, we have prepared a summary table that breaks down the subtle differences between the discussed words:
| Formalidad | Énfasis | Vocabulario | Ejemplo |
|
Formal
|
Simple | Yes (Sí) | Do you like the beach? -Yes. (¿Te gusta la playa? -Sí.) |
| Simple |
Agree (De acuerdo) |
The book is interesting, don't you think? -Agree. (El libro es interesante, ¿no crees? -De acuerdo.) | |
| Medio | Exactly (Exactamente) | The answer is 45, isn't it? -Exactly. (La respuesta es 45, ¿no es cierto? -Exactamente.) | |
| Fuerte | Certainly (Ciertamente) | This is the right way to go, isn't it? -Certainly. (Este es el camino correcto, ¿no es cierto? -Ciertamente.) | |
| Fuerte | Indeed (De hecho) | The garden is beautiful. -Indeed, it is. (El jardín es hermoso. -De hecho, lo es.) | |
| Fuerte | Undoubtedly (Indudablemente) | She is a talented artist, isn't she? -Undoubtedly. (Ella es una artista talentosa, ¿no es cierto? -Indudablemente.) | |
| Fuerte | Positively (Positivamente) | The play was outstanding, wasn't it? -Positively. (La obra fue excepcional, ¿no es cierto? -Positivamente.) | |
|
Informal
|
Simple | Sure (Claro) | Is it okay if I come over at 6? -Sure. (¿Está bien si vengo a las 6? -Claro.) |
| Fuerte | Absolutely (Absolutamente) | This is a great song, isn't it? -Absolutely. (Esta es una gran canción, ¿no es cierto? -Absolutamente.) | |
| Fuerte | Totally (Totalmente) | It's a beautiful day, isn't it? -Totally. (Es un hermoso día, ¿no es cierto? -Totalmente.) | |
| Fuerte | Definitely (Definitivamente) | This is a good coffee, isn't it? -Definitely. (Este es un buen café, ¿no es cierto? -Definitivamente.) | |
| Fuerte | No doubt (Sin duda) | This is the best ice cream in town, isn't it? -No doubt. (Este es el mejor helado de la ciudad, ¿no es cierto? -Sin duda.) |
Practice exercises:
Complete the following sentences with the appropriate agreement word:
- (Informal, strong) Can you help me with this assignment? ______________, I'd be grateful.
- (Formal, simple) Do you agree with my point about the importance of education? ______________, I do.
- (Formal, strong) I'd like to order the fish and chips. ______________, of course.
- (Informal, simple) It's a beautiful day, isn't it? ______________, it is.
- (Informal, strong) Why don't we go to the movies tonight? ______________, that sounds great!
