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 as a reply to someone saying thank you. de rien is a common and versatile way to say you're welcome in French.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase de rien literally translates to "of nothing". The phrase il n'y a pas de quoi literally means "there is no reason/nothing of which [to thank me]".
Which one should you use?
De rien is the most common, neutral way to say you're welcome, whereas je vous en prie is significantly more formal. Je t'en prie is the informal version of je vous en prie, used with friends or family. Pas de quoi is a shortened, more casual version of il n'y a pas de quoi. Other informal alternatives include pas de problème, similar to the English expression "no problem" and avec plaisir, meaning "with pleasure".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Je vous en prie is a formal way to say you're welcome, translating to "I beg you". In contrast, je t'en prie and à ton service are informal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Belgium, s'il vous plaît is sometimes used as a response to merci to mean "you're welcome". In Quebec, bienvenue is commonly used as a response to merci, a usage that is an anglicism and not standard in France.
How do you pronounce it?
/də ʁjɛ̃/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use bienvenue to mean "you're welcome" in France. In standard French, bienvenue is used to welcome someone to a place, not to respond to thanks.
Did you know?
- The formal je vous en prie is not only a reply to thanks but can also be used to politely invite someone to enter a room or take a seat first.
- The word rien used in de rien actually comes from the Latin word 'rem', which meant 'thing'.
- The phrase avec plaisir is often used in Southern France to express a warmer, more enthusiastic 'you're welcome' than the neutral de rien.
Examples in context
- Je vous en prie.You're welcome.This example shows the formal use of je vous en prie.Tatoeba #477559 by sacredceltic, translation #403068 by Ramses
- « Merci ! » « De rien ! »"Thank you!" "You're welcome!"This example demonstrates a simple exchange using de rien.Tatoeba #1142713 by sacredceltic, translation #11136841 by carlosalberto
- « Merci. » « Pas de quoi. »"Thanks." "You're welcome."This example shows a casual exchange using pas de quoi.Tatoeba #3470334 by Lulantis, translation #1050524 by Eldad
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas gives Manon a book that she wanted to borrow.
- ManonMerci beaucoup pour le livre, Lucas.Thank you very much for the book, Lucas.
- LucasDe rien, Manon.You're welcome, Manon.
- ManonC'est vraiment gentil de ta part.That is really kind of you.
- LucasJe t'en prie, profite bien.Don't mention it, enjoy it.
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.
