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After someone says "merci beaucoup", I would like to respond by saying something equivalent to the English phrase "no problem". I tried google translate, and it gave me "Pas de problème", but I'm not so sure this is correct. Is it correct? Are there other informal ways of expressing "you're welcome"?

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5 Answers

up vote 11 down vote accepted

There are a few main ways to say "you're welcome" in French:

  • Je vous en prie / Je t'en prie

I feel this is a little more formal than the others, but is the canonical French response to "thank you". In some sense, it can be equivalent to "don't worry about it".

  • Pas de problème

Google translate was right. It is widely used, it's informal and it likely comes from English in the first place.

  • De rien

This phrase likely comes from the Spanish de nada. Rien means "nothing", so it could be somewhat analogous to "don't give it a second thought". But shorter and more informal.

  • Bienvenue

This is the literal translation of "welcome". Very used in Canada, but less so in other French-speaking countries as it is considered an anglicism. Its correct use is mostly one of greeting or of appreciation, like when you say, for example, that relief is welcomed.

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If we come to regional languages, let's add one we hear in Lorraine, mainly from older people : Service ! – Romain VALERI Jul 13 '12 at 20:49
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My native language is French and I wouldn't have understood that Romain Valeri. – Alexandre P. Levasseur Jul 15 '12 at 11:58
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Bienvenue would definitely not be understood in that context in France. – Rodrigue Jul 15 '12 at 19:26
Pas de problème est, je pense, un anglicisme. – rds Jul 16 '12 at 11:23
Service ! is very common in the french part of Switzerland also, and not only from older people... – Yannick Blondeau Jul 18 '12 at 6:27
up vote 8 down vote

Other ways to answer a "Merci" are:

  • "Il n'y a pas de quoi", sometimes abbreviated in "Pas de quoi"
  • around Toulouse: "Avec plaisir"
  • in Belgium: "S'il vous plaît"
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+1 for Pas de quoi – Rodrigue Jul 15 '12 at 19:27
Avec plaisir is more formal. I went to a high-end restaurant and the waiter was answering Avec beaucoup de plaisir after my thanks. – rds Jul 16 '12 at 11:10
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@rds - I live in Toulouse and Avec plaisir is very common and not formal at all. – mouviciel Jul 16 '12 at 12:09
Why only around Toulouse? I think "Avec plaisir" is commonly used everywhere in France. – Otiel Jul 17 '12 at 15:30
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@Otiel - Because friends from other regions find it strange. – mouviciel Jul 17 '12 at 15:41
up vote 8 down vote

The usual answer to “merci” in French is “de rien” which has about the same meaning as “no problem” and translates to “it's nothing”.

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Littré says "de rien" is familair language for a depricated ne me remerciez de rien french.stackexchange.com/questions/940/… – rds Jul 16 '12 at 11:15
up vote 3 down vote

The most commonly used is probably "De rien".

Slightly more formal is this one : "Je t'en prie / Je vous en prie"

Your "Pas de problème" is used also, and is more casual.

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Please use English quotes when the surrounding language is English ;-) – Stéphane Gimenez Jul 13 '12 at 19:22
@StéphaneGimenez Thanks for the advice and the link, I'll try to uphold the law now ;-D – Romain VALERI Jul 13 '12 at 20:51
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I don't think "pas de souci(s?)" nor "pas de problème" are good answers after "merci". I think, they fit better after "excuse-moi". – rds Jul 16 '12 at 11:16
up vote 2 down vote

À l'oral, après merci, en France (St Etienne) j'entends souvent répondre Y'a pas d'soucis.

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I don't think "pas de souci(s?)" nor "pas de problème" are good answers after "merci". I think, they fit better after "excuse-moi". – rds Jul 16 '12 at 11:09
@rds Yse and no, in my opinion. Merci means Vous vous êtes géné pour me rendre service, it's sort of excuse-moi, you right. So the response Y'a pas d'soucis is understandable. It's common conversation : Merci / Y'a pas d'soucis / Mais merci quand même / y'a pas d'soucis y'a pas d'soucis je t'assure and so on. Sorry for my english (Y'a pas d'soucis). – Istao Feb 14 at 7:40

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