Do you want to learn different ways to say you’re welcome in French? Although you can use only one sentence to this phrase, many more variations are available in other circumstances.
For example, you might use a more formal construction if you are not speaking with close friends. Or, if you want to show respect and deference, you might choose to use another phrase better suited to the situation.
Best Ways To Say You’re Welcome In The French Language
Many life situations require speaking informally or even overly formally. So for that reason, if you travel to France or talk with native French speakers, it would be best if you were prepared to answer correctly based on the situation and impress them with your language learning skills.
The following list contains the best ways you can use to say you’re welcome in French:
- De rien – You’re welcome (Don’t mention it)
- Je vous en prie – It is my pleasure/please (To use in formal situations)
- Je t’en prie – It is my pleasure/please ( To use in informal situations)
- Il n’y a pas de quoi – The literal translation is “there is no what,” used to say “there is no reason to thank me”
- N’y a pas de quoi – There is no what (Shortened form of Il n’y a pas de quoi)
- Pas de problème – No problem
- Ce n’est rien du tout – Literally means “It’s nothing at all”
- Avec plaisir/Mon plaisir – With pleasure/My pleasure
- À votre service – At your service
- Bienvenue – Welcome (Used by Canadian French speakers)
- Merci à vous – Thank to you
- C’est moi que vous remercie – It’s me who thanks you
- S’il vous plaît – Pleae (Used in formal French)
- S’il te plaît – Please (For informal situations)
- Ne me remerciez de rien – Literally translates as “don’t thank me for anything”
- C’est gentil – How nice
- Pas de soucis – The English equivalent is “no worries”
Saying “you’re welcome” is part of good manners. Now that you know all the possible options to answer someone who is thanking you start practicing until you know when to use the correct phrase, depending on the situation.
Remember not to use informal phrases with people you don’t know or elders! It would sound unusual to say you’re welcome to a stranger using a colloquial or friendly expression at an official event.
How To Decide Which Sentence To Use
You can decide which sentence to use based on the situation and if you want to be casual or if you want to speak formally.
French people often use the sentence “de rien” to reply to someone saying ‘thank you.”
De Rien (Don’t Mention It)
You can use it when you want to say to someone that what you did not deserve to be thanked and that you would have done it anyway. “De rien” is the most common way to say you’re welcome in french,
You can use this expression with an informal counterpart, family member, or a close friend.
Here is an example:
- Ouvre la porte s’il te plaît – Open the door please
- Bien sure – Sure
- De rien – Don’t mention it
Je Vous En Prie (You Are Welcome)
Another way to say you’re welcome in French, especially for a formal situation, is “Je vous en prie.” This is the sentence to use if you are with strangers or in a business meeting.
You can also use:
- S’il vous plait – Please or you are welcome
Here is an example on how to use “je vous en prie”:
- Merci de m’avoir invité – Thank you for inviting me
- Je vous en prie – Your are welcome
Pas De Problème (No Problem)
It is a casual expression to reassure others that everything is fine and that what you did was not an inconvenience for you or that you did not have to go out of your way to help. You could use a similar phrase, “pas de soucis,” which means no worries.
It is used when talking to friends or people you know.
Avec Plaisir (With Pleasure)
It is a typical sentence to say you’re welcome in French, used in Southern France. In other regions, it could sound strange to hear this expression. However, it is a polite way to say to others that you were happy to help.
Here is an example:
- Merci d’avoir accepté ma demande en ami – thank you for accepting my friend request
- Avec plaisir – With pleasure
In general, once you understand the meaning of each expression, you can decide which one is best to use depending on the person in front of you. Commonly when speaking with friends, any expression is ok, but on a formal occasion, it is more important to know which expression should be used.
Would you like to know more about the French people and the French language?
Learn French With Ling App!
Now that you know more words in French, you can learn more using a simple language learning tool, the Ling App.
Ling is an application that can help you understand more about French culture and language. It contains all you need to know, such as grammar, pronunciation, slang, verbs, sentence structure, and much more.
But, if you want to learn another language, with Ling, you can choose between 60+ options and get familiar with other languages too. Moreover, it is possible to use the application from any mobile device and from the home computer.
To learn vocabulary to speak French, check out our great blog posts: French Question Words You Must Know and Basic French Pronouns.
What are you waiting for? Download Ling App from App Store and Play Store for free!
