French Phrase
Oui, ils sont côte à côte.
Meaning
The sentence confirms that a group of people or objects are positioned next to each other. It literally translates to “Yes, they are side by side.” The phrase stresses proximity and can be used to answer a question about placement.
When to use
Use this response when someone asks whether two items, people, or locations are adjacent—for example, when checking the arrangement of chairs, the position of houses on a street, or the placement of teammates on a field.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ouiilssontcôteàcôte
Oui
An affirmative response meaning “yes”. It can stand alone or precede a clause.
ils
Third‑person plural subject pronoun, used for a group of masculine nouns or mixed gender.
sont
Present tense of the verb être (to be) for ils/elles. It links the subject to a description.
côte à côte
An idiomatic expression meaning “side by side” or “next to each other”. The two words are repeated with the preposition à in between; the phrase is invariable.
🗨In Conversation
Les chaises sont‑elles côte à côte ?
Are the chairs side by side?
Oui, ils sont côte à côte.
Yes, they are side by side.
✕Common Mistakes
Oui, ils sont côté à côté.
« côté » means “side” (as a noun) and is incorrect here; the idiom uses « côte » (the noun for “coast” but in this fixed expression it means “side by side”).
Oui, ils est côte à côte.
The verb must agree with the plural subject; use « sont » not « est ».
Oui, ils sont côte à côtees.
The expression is invariable; do not add an –s or –es.
↔Alternatives
Oui, ils sont l'un à côté de l'autre.
Yes, they are next to each other.
Oui, ils sont côte à côte l'un à l'autre.
Yes, they are side by side with each other.
Oui, ils sont côte à côte.
Yes, they are side by side.
Cultural Tip
The expression côte à côte is used in both formal and informal French, but you’ll hear it more often in written or descriptive contexts (e.g., news reports, travel guides). In everyday speech many French speakers simply say « à côté l'un de l'autre » or « côte à côte » without the article. Remember that the phrase stays the same regardless of gender or number; you do not add an –s to « côte ».