Hey yeah vs Of course

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Hey yeah

Informal Top 2,000 (common)

Of course

Top 1,000 (very common)

Most formal: Of course Most common: Of course

	Hey yeah	Of course
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //heɪ jɛ// 🇺🇸 //heɪ jæ//	🇬🇧 //əv kɔːs// 🇺🇸 //əv kɔrs//
Meaning	A friendly expression to show agreement or excitement.	Definitely, it's obvious.
Example	When I asked if they wanted to join us, they replied, 'Hey yeah!'	Are you joining us for dinner tonight? Of course!
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
Collocations	hey yeah moment, say hey yeah, respond with hey yeah	of course not, of course yes, of course you can, of course it is
Common mistakes	Used in formal contexts where a more professional response is required., Confused with more serious affirmations like 'yes'.	Using it in formal writing where a different expression is needed., Confusing it with other affirmations like 'certainly' or 'definitely'.
Usage notes	Used in casual conversations to acknowledge someone or express enthusiasm. Not suitable for formal situations.	Used in informal and formal situations to affirm something obvious. Avoid in highly formal writing.

See it in real clips

Breaking Bad › S1 E3

Hey, yeah. Yeah.

Hey yeah

Of course.

Agatha Christies Poirot › S1 E1

You know her, of course.

And, of course, I paid my respect to Bubba himself.

Of course.

Agatha Christies Poirot › S1 E1

You know her, of course.

Of course

Frequently asked questions: Hey yeah vs Of course

What's the difference between Hey yeah and Of course?

Hey yeah: A friendly expression to show agreement or excitement. Of course: Definitely, it's obvious.

Which is more formal: Hey yeah and Of course?

Of course is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Hey yeah and Of course?

Of course is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Hey yeah: When I asked if they wanted to join us, they replied, 'Hey yeah!' Of course: Are you joining us for dinner tonight? Of course!

Can I use Hey yeah and Of course interchangeably?

Not always. Hey yeah and Of course are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.