Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| de rien | /də ʁjɛ̃/ | |
| il n'y a pas de quoi | /il n‿i.j‿a pa də kwa/ /il n‿i.j‿a pɑ də kwa/ |
|
| pas de quoi | /pa də kwa/ /pɑ də kwa/ |
|
| je vous en prie | /ʒə vu.z‿ɑ̃ pʁi/ | formal |
| je t'en prie | /ʒə t‿ɑ̃ pʁi/ | informal |
| à ton service | informal | |
| s'il vous plaît | /s‿il vu plɛ/ /s‿ju plɛ/ |
Belgium |
| bienvenue | /bjɛ̃.v(ə).ny/ | Louisiana, New England, Quebec |
These phrases are used to respond to someone's thanks. While de rien is the standard response, other options like avec plaisir (with pleasure) or tout le plaisir est pour moi (the pleasure is all mine) can also be used to express that you were happy to help.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase de rien literally means "of nothing". The phrase il n'y a pas de quoi literally means "there is no reason for it", implying there is no reason to thank the speaker.
Which one should you use?
De rien is the standard, more casual version of the phrase. Il n'y a pas de quoi is a slightly more complete way to say there is no reason to thank someone, while pas de quoi is its shortened, more colloquial form. For more formal settings, you should use je vous en prie, whereas je t'en prie is the informal version used with friends or family. Additionally, pas de souci can be used informally to mean "no worries".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
De rien is the standard, casual response. Je vous en prie is the formal version, whereas je t'en prie and à ton service are informal. Pas de quoi is also a colloquial, informal option.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Belgium, s'il vous plaît is sometimes used to mean "you're welcome" after someone says "merci". In Switzerland, the word volontiers is used to mean "willingly" or "gladly". In Quebec, Louisiana and parts of New England, the word bienvenue is commonly used to respond to thanks.
How do you pronounce it?
/də ʁjɛ̃/
What mistakes should you avoid?
In standard French, bienvenue is used to welcome someone to a place. Do not mistakenly use bienvenue as a response to thanks unless you are in Quebec, Louisiana or New England where this usage is common.
Did you know?
- In Belgium, you might hear s'il vous plaît used as a response to thanks, though in other regions this phrase only means 'please'.
- The word rien meaning 'nothing' actually evolved from the Latin word rem, which meant 'thing'.
- The formal response je vous en prie uses the verb 'prier', which means 'to pray' or 'to beg', making the phrase quite elegant and polite.
Examples in context
- Je vous en prie.You're welcome.This example shows the formal way to say "you're welcome."Tatoeba #477559 by sacredceltic, translation #403068 by Ramses
- « Merci ! » « De rien ! »"Thank you!" "You're welcome!"This example shows a common exchange of "thank you" and "you're welcome" using the standard form.Tatoeba #1142713 by sacredceltic, translation #11136841 by carlosalberto
- « Merci. » « Pas de quoi. »"Thanks." "You're welcome."This example shows a shorter, more casual exchange of "thanks" and "you're welcome".Tatoeba #3470334 by Lulantis, translation #1050524 by Eldad
- De rien, c'était avec plaisir!You're welcome, it was my pleasure!
- Je vous en prie, je suis là pour vous.You're welcome, I am here for you.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel holds the door open for Manon.
- ManonMerci beaucoup, Gabriel !Thank you very much, Gabriel!
- GabrielDe rien, Manon.You're welcome, Manon.
- ManonC'est très gentil de ta part.That is very kind of you.
- GabrielC'est normal, pas de problème.It's normal, no problem.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you're welcome” translations and entries de rien, il n'y a pas de quoi, pas de quoi, je vous en prie, je t'en prie, s'il vous plaît, bienvenue, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, de, de rien, il, il n'y a pas de quoi, n'y, rien, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
