What does it mean word for word?
Literally, कोई बात नहीं translates to 'no matter' or 'it is no thing/matter'.
Which one should you use?
While कोई बात नहीं is a standard versatile response, other options exist depending on your intent: Fikar na kar (फिकर ना कर) is an informal way to say 'Don't worry', Chinta mat kar (चिंता मत कर) means 'Don't stress' among friends and Bindaas reh (बिंदास रह) can mean 'Stay cool' or 'No worries'. For a more formal way to say 'Don't worry', use Chinta mat kijiye (चिंता मत कीजिए).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
कोई बात नहीं is a common, slightly informal way to respond to apologies or thanks. For more direct commands, Fikar na kar (फिकर ना कर) and Chinta mat kar (चिंता मत कर) are informal, whereas Chinta mat kijiye (चिंता मत कीजिए) is the formal way to say 'Don't worry'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual speech, the version without a trailing verb is most common.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of कोई बात नहीं is /koː.iː bɑːt̪ nə.ɦĩː/ (koī bāt nahī̃). It consists of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The negation नहीं in कोई बात नहीं is a cognate of the word 'no' in English, as both trace their origins back to the Proto-Indo-European root *né.
- In Hindi, using कोई बात नहीं acts as a social 'buffer'. It effectively erases the tension of an apology by minimizing the mistake, making it more about social harmony than just a literal translation of 'no worries'.
- If you use this phrase in a different regional language like Punjabi, it sounds almost identical as ਕੋਈ ਗੱਲ ਨਹੀਂ (koī galla nahī̃), showing how closely related these languages are.
Examples in context
- कोई बात नहीं, मैं मदद कर सकता हूँ।koi baat nahi, main madad kar sakta hoon.No worries, I can help.
- कोई बात नहीं, कल मिलते हैं।koi baat nahi, kal milte hain.No worries, see you tomorrow.
- अगर देरी हो जाए तो कोई बात नहीं।agar deri ho jaaye toh koi baat nahi.No worries if it gets late.
Example conversation
Aditya apologizes for being a few minutes late.
- नेहा Nehaसॉरी, मुझे आने में थोड़ी देर हो गई।Sorry, mujhe aane mein thodi der ho gayi.Sorry, I'm a little late arriving.
- आदित्य Adityaकोई बात नहीं, आदित्य।Koi baat nahi, Aditya.No worries, Aditya.
- नेहा Nehaक्या हम अब शुरू करें?Kya hum ab shuru karein?Shall we start now?
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ, नेहा, शुरू करते हैं।Haan, Neha, shuru karte hain.Yes, Neha, let's start.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry कोई बात नहीं, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries कोई, कोई बात नहीं, नहीं, बात, CC BY-SA 4.0.
