bitte
/ˈbɪtə/
In German, "not at all" can be translated in several ways. The default form is bitte. Wiktionary also lists gern geschehen and keine Ursache.
Meaning: conventional reply to expression of gratitude (intj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| bitte | /ˈbɪtə/ |
| gern geschehen | /ɡɛrn ɡəˈʃeːən/ /-ɡəˈʃeːn/ |
| keine Ursache | /ˈkaɪ̯nə ˈuːɐ̯ˌzaxə/ (word by word) |
| nichts zu danken |
When responding to someone expressing gratitude, you can use several different phrases to mean "not at all". However, if you are using "not at all" to emphasize a negative (e.g., "I am not at all tired"), use überhaupt nicht instead of the polite replies for gratitude. gar nicht is used similarly to überhaupt nicht to provide strong emphasis to a negation.
What does it mean word for word?
keine Ursache literally translates to "no cause," and nichts zu danken literally means "nothing to thank [for]."
Which one should you use?
To respond to thanks, you have several options: bitte is the most basic, while gern geschehen is slightly more formal or polite than a simple bitte and implies that the speaker was happy to help.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbɪtə/
Did you know?
- The word gern in gern geschehen is an ancient relative of the obsolete English word 'yern', which meant 'eagerly' or 'willingly'.
- In many German regions, a slightly different pronunciation of bitte can signal whether the speaker is asking a question or giving a polite command.
Examples in context
- „Danke für die Hilfe!“ – „Keine Ursache!““Thanks for the help!” “Not at all!”This example shows how to use keine Ursache as a response to thanks.Tatoeba #13138896 by Waldelfe, translation #8161307 by TheNightAvl
- „Willst du damit sagen, dass ich dich nicht anrufen soll?“ – „Aber nein! Bitte ruf mich an, wann immer du willst!“"Are you saying you don't want me to call?" "No, not at all. Please call me anytime."This example demonstrates how to use bitte as a polite emphatic response.Tatoeba #6790512 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5816669 by CK
- Keine Ursache, es war mir eine Freude.Not at all, it was my pleasure.
- Kein Problem, ich helfe gerne.Not at all, I'm happy to help.
- Macht nichts, wir sind alle mal spät dran.Not at all, we all run late sometimes.
- Keine Ursache, das war doch selbstverständlich.Not at all, it was self-evident.
- Bitte sehr!You are very welcome!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas gave Laura a book from his shelf.
- LauraVielen Dank für das Buch, Lukas!Thank you very much for the book, Lukas!
- LukasBitte sehr, Laura!You are very welcome, Laura!
- LauraDas ist wirklich sehr nett von dir.That is really very kind of you.
- LukasGerne geschehen!My pleasure!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “not at all” translations and entries bitte, gern geschehen, keine Ursache, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (keine, Ursache) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ursache, bitte, gern, gern geschehen, geschehen, keine Ursache, nichts, zu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
