Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 아니에요 | anieyo |
| 별말씀을요 | byeolmalsseumeuryo |
When responding to someone thanking you, you can use 아니에요 to mean "it's nothing" or "no problem." For a more sophisticated way to say "don't mention it," use 별말씀을요. To express "not at all" with emphasis, you can use 전혀 아니에요 (polite) or the formal 결코 아니에요 to emphasize that there is absolutely no connection or possibility. The word 전혀 is also a versatile term that can be combined with other words to express "not at all" in specific contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 별말씀을요 literally translates to "don't say such (extraordinary) words".
Which one should you use?
아니에요 is a common, polite way to say "it's nothing" or "no problem" when someone thanks you. In contrast, 별말씀을요 is a more formal and slightly more sophisticated way to say "don't mention it."
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
아니에요 is the polite form of the verb 아니다 (to not be), used here to dismiss the need for thanks. The word 결코 can be used as an adverb meaning "not."
How do you pronounce it?
anieyo
Did you know?
- The phrase 별말씀을요 uses the word 별, which can mean 'star' in other contexts, but here it means 'special' or 'extraordinary'.
- When saying 아니에요 to deflect thanks, Koreans often accompany the phrase with a slight wave of the hand or a gentle head shake to physically signal the dismissal of the favor.
- The root word 아니다 is one of the few words in Korean that functions as a unique negative verb, meaning 'to not be', rather than just adding a negative particle to a positive verb.
Examples in context
- 전혀 이해하지 못해요.I don't understand at all.
- 전혀 신경 쓰지 마세요.Don't worry about it at all.
- 아니에요, 괜찮아요.anieyo, gwaenchanayo.No, it's okay.
- 도와주셔서 감사합니다. 아니에요.dowajusyeoseo gamsahamnida. anieyo.Thank you for helping. Not at all.
- 정말 고마워요. 아니에요, 별거 아니에요.jeongmal gomawoyo. anieyo, byeolgeo anieyo.Thank you so much. Not at all, it was nothing.
Example conversation
A man thanks a woman for carrying a heavy box.
- 도현 Do-hyeon민지 씨, 도와줘서 정말 고마워요.Minji ssi, dowajwoseo jeongmal gomawoyo.Minji, thank you so much for helping me.
- 민지 Min-ji아니에요, 도현 씨.anieyo, Dohyeon ssi.Not at all, Dohyeon.
- 도현 Do-hyeon정말 큰 도움이 됐어요.jeongmal keun doumi dwaesseoyo.It was a huge help.
- 민지 Min-ji다음에 또 필요하면 말해요.daeume tto piryohamyeon malhaeyo.Tell me if you need help again next time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “not at all” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
