de nada
/de ˈnada/
In Spanish, "not at all" can be translated as de nada when responding to someone's gratitude. Wiktionary also lists no hay de qué.
Meaning: conventional reply to expression of gratitude (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| de nada | /de ˈnada/ |
| no hay de qué | /ˌno ˌai de ˈke/ |
The primary way to say "not at all" is as a conventional reply to an expression of gratitude. The most common and standard way to respond to gracias (thank you) is de nada. Other forms like para nada are used differently. They are used to emphasize a negative, meaning "not at all" or "not in the slightest".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase de nada literally translates to "of nothing". The phrase no hay de qué literally means "there is nothing of which [to thank me]".
Which one should you use?
While de nada is the standard response to a "thank you", no hay de qué is a more formal or elegant alternative. Conversely, para nada is not used to respond to thanks, but is instead used to emphasize a negative statement.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/de ˈnada/
Did you know?
- The word nada originally stems from the concept of something 'not born', evolving from Latin terms meaning 'no born thing'.
Examples in context
- No hay de qué.Not at all.This sentence is useful for practicing the formal phrase no hay de qué.Tatoeba #602098 by Eldad, translation #66787 by sacredceltic
- ¿Estás molesto? – No, en absoluto.Are you upset? – No, not at all.
- ¿Puedes hacerlo? – De ninguna manera.Can you do it? – Not at all.
- ¿Te molestó lo que dije? – Para nada.Did what I say bother you? – Not at all.
- ¿Te pareció interesante la película? – En lo absoluto.Did you find the movie interesting? – Not at all.
- ¿Crees que conseguirás el trabajo? – Ni por asomo.Do you think you'll get the job? – Not at all.
- ¿Puedo entrar sin permiso? – En modo alguno.Can I enter without permission? – Not at all.
- ¿Te importa si fumo aquí? – Para nada, en absoluto.Do you mind if I smoke here? – Not at all.
- De nada, fue un placer.You're welcome, it was a pleasure.
Example conversation
Daniel gives María a book she was looking for.
- DanielAquí tienes el libro, María.Here is the book, María.
- MaríaMuchas gracias, Daniel.Thank you very much, Daniel.
- DanielDe nada.You're welcome.
- MaríaEres muy amable.You are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “not at all” translations and entries de nada, no hay de qué, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, hay, nada, no, no hay de qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
