[French] How to indicate agreement, understanding, 'OK'...

I can't work out how to search for this on Google, and it's also a bit of a social / cultural thing I want to work out.

Say someone is explaining to you in French how to use something (a self-checkout machine, a new computer program, etc.). In English, of course after each step is concluded or thereabouts (where there is a break), you might convey your understanding by punctuating with "OK", or "yes", or "alright", or "fine", or even just "mmm-hmm".

How do you (or rather the French / Swiss) convey the same thing? Or do they just nod / keep silent? I was thinking just punctuating "oui". I'm guessing in some cases where you might say "fine" or "that's fine" or "that's alright", then saying "c'est bon(ne)" in French is the equivalent. For some reason, that sounds a bit too strong (e.g. "that's fine" in English gives an impression of being satisfactory, not necessarily great or outstanding).

From listening to my French wife on the phone...

"d'accord" "oui" "d'accord" "bien" "mmm mmm" no H

also "bien sur" "c'est bien entendu/compris" and all those words that are near identical in english: "certainement", "evidement" etc

mostly "d'accord" for the quick interjection which fits your described purpose.

These things vary greatly with area, age and formality, but generally you can't go wrong with a simple 'oui' (often pronounced 'ouai' in many areas). D'accord, with or without a oui prefix, indicates agreement with a specific point, usually a request of some sort, as does "bien sur" or "très bien". OK is also well understood as a more general agreement as well as "Qui, c'est vrai" or "...c'est ça".

Specific other ones, like 'bien entendu' or '...compris', can be used in some cases, but I'd generally steer clear if you're not fluent.

The key point is to understand the actual words you're using so they can't be taken out of context. If you're not sure, then stick to the basics.

'ça marche' is another useful phase - meaning 'That works'. Can be turned in to a question easily with an inflection at the end.....

so someone gives you some instructions / info and at the end they might say to you 'Ça marche/Oui?/D'accord?/Comme ca?' and you reply 'oui, ça marche!'

Or asking someone to do something for you or make a date to meet for example - 'lundi matin, ça marche?' to which you can reply with the same 'ça marche'.

I like that one

OK is quite acceptable these days too. On its own or with any of the above- and also 'ok, c'est bon'.

Just say "OK".....

"Ok" with any of the other above ca marche!

I spend a lot of time saying "OK, d'accord, merci".

Agree with MiniMia: you can just say: ok (pronounced okay and not(!) okaa).

You can also say:

- Tout à fait

- absolument

Just remember that "ouai s " is very informal.

Oui (prononounced vooyee) is more appropriate IMO.

And don't forget "ça joue" for Switzerland.

The Academy française is still looking for a good one. But so far they could not give their final O.K. on a word.