Just as important as knowing how to say “thank you” is knowing how to respond when someone thanks you! While a simple “you’re welcome” might be enough in English, French has several phrases you can use to sound more natural and polite. This guide will walk you through how to say “you’re welcome” in French, covering the common phrases, their nuances, and how to use them in different situations.
Table of Contents
The Most Common Phrase: De rien
The most common and versatile way to say “you’re welcome” in French is de rien. This phrase literally translates to “of nothing,” and it’s the perfect response to a simple merci. It’s a casual and friendly phrase that you can use in almost any situation. For a more literal version, you might hear c’est rien, which is the contraction of “ce n’est rien”, meaning “it’s nothing.”
Click here to hear how to pronounce de rien.
The Formal and Polite Way: Je vous en prie
If you are in a formal setting, you can use the phrase Je vous en prie. This phrase literally translates to “I beg you,” but it is a very polite and respectful way to say “you’re welcome.” It is often used in professional settings or with people you need to show respect to.
If you’re speaking to a child or someone you normally use tutoiement (the tu-form) with, but still want to sound refined, you could say je t’en prie.
Other Ways to Say “You’re Welcome”
There are several other phrases you can use to respond to “thank you,” to have as many options as possible.
Don’t mention it: Il n’y a pas de quoi
This phrase is a bit longer, but it’s very natural and widely used by native speakers. Il n’y a pas de quoi literally translates to “there is none of what,” but it means “there is no reason to thank me.” You can also use the shorter, more casual version, y’a pas d’quoi, which is a contraction you’ll often hear in France.
No problem: Aucun problème
Just like in English, you can also respond with “no problem” by saying pas de problème or aucun problème (no problem at all), for emphasis. This is another simple and very common phrase that you can use in informal situations.
Regional Variations
Canadian: Bienvenue
In Canada, you might hear the word bienvenue used as a response to merci, which is the literal translation for ‘welcome’. While it is widely used, it is an anglicism (a phrase borrowed from English) and is not considered proper French by some. A better phrase that is also used is ça fait plaisir, which literally means “it makes pleasure,” and it’s a very pleasant way to say “my pleasure.”
A more formal way to say “thank you” is to use the verb “to thank” (remercier).
Swiss: Service !
In Switzerland, you might hear people say service! People from France find this weird, but once you know that it comes from “à votre service” (at your service), it makes total sense!
Putting It All Together: Naturally Accepting Thanks
When someone thanks you, you can now respond with confidence, choosing the phrase that best fits the situation. For example, when a friend says merci you may reply y’a pas de quoi. In a professional setting, you might say merci beaucoup and the other person can respond with je vous en prie. By learning these different phrases, you can make your conversations more fluid and polite.
Ready for the next lesson?
Let’s study how to say yes in French!
Still an Absolute Beginner in French? First, let’s start with the alphabet!