- Helping such a famous and important person like you is my pleasure. - Instead of this, can I say "It's my pleasure to help such a famous and important person like you."? Thanks a lot! NamLan
Your second version sounds very much more natural than the first. I would have to say though, that the sentence is excessively deferential - in fact it is obsequious. "It's my pleasure" (on its own) is often used to respond to someone who has thanked you for some service or favour you have provided, particularly to someone such as a client or customer. It's also often said by guests on TV or radio shows after being thanked by the host: Host: "Thank you for coming on the show tonight, Namlan!" Namlan: "It's my pleasure." It's also used in public announcements, for example in introducing a speaker: "It's my pleasure to introduce to you...".
I agree with Matching Mole that this is too deferential to be used in most situations. It sounds like a line in "The King and I" where the servants kneel before the King. "I am glad to be of help," sounds much more conversational.
Even "Glad I could help" is fine. Also, from your example: It's my pleasure to help such a famous and important person AS you. It's my pleasure to help SUCH a famous and important person like you.
Could I use "it's my pleasure" to respond to "nice to meet you" when i'm introduced to someone? Thanks
I think that would sound unnatural. I would expect a response that parallels the one given: 'Nice to meet you too'. I might even say 'Likewise'.
I agree with Natkretep. It's my pleasure and What is your pleasure? are expressions best left on the lips of the obsequious. This is well illustrated by the famous Geordie (of Sunderland or Newcastle-upon-Tyne) story of the Geordie who went into a shop to buy a hat. The shop-assistant came up to him and said, 'Good Morning, Sir, and what is your pleasure?' The Geordie replied, 'My pleasures are fuckin' and pidgins, but right now, I want a flat 'at'. Avoid the expression. The expression 'It's a great pleasure for me to...' is, on the other hand, entirely acceptable and gracious.
Welcome to the forum! In answer to your question: Absolutely--with one tiny change: Drop the "it's". My pleasure! is a perfectly fine response to "nice to meet you".
The risk is to be thought to be sarcastic. I've been accused (rightfully) of sarcasm frequently. I recall having run into someone that I really did not like. He said, "It's good to see you again Packard." I responded with, "Likewise, I'm certain." It loses something in the writing but the addition of "I'm certain" implies just the opposite (when spoken by Packard, at any rate). I think that "my pleasure" runs the same risk (in the USA, perhaps not in other countries).
When you formalise something like this, or enshrine it in writing, it takes on airs that are not necessarily there in the moment of responding. So, if I said to someone "It's nice to meet you," and they responded "It's my pleasure," I would find nothing strange or obsequious about it ... unless it was clear from their previous behaviour or their manner of speaking that their words were not person-person and sincere. Context is everything, or if not everything, a very great deal, when it comes to these social niceties.
Hello. Does ´My pleasure´ make sense in this dialogue? I know it is used as a reply to someone who has thanked me and it just sounds strange to me in this dialogue where it should probably mean the same as ´Nice to meet you.´ I´m not sure about ´Same here´ either. A: What´s your name? B: Jack Jones. And yours? A: I´m Anita Black. My pleasure. B: Same here.
The phrase is being used here to mean "it is my pleasure to meet you." Was there any greeting before "what's your name?"
Hello. Well, I think the appropriate phrase to use in this context is. Pleased to know you , nice to meet you ...ect " my pleasure" or " it is my pleasure " is a term used in the following situation. someone thanks you for a favour you did to him/her , and as an answer you say: not at all, or it is my pleasure.
It's very informal, but it would be understood just as you've understood it. I wouldn't use it, personally, but I think it's acceptable.
Moderator note I have merged a newer thread (beginning post #11) as the same usage is discussed in an older thread.
Hello all, Is it acceptable to say/write "It's my pleasure!" in response to a "Thank you!", when the thanks are in response to a compliment rather than a favor/help/etc.? For instance, H: Excellent performance! A: Thank you! H: It's my pleasure! In this situation would the expression be open to (mis)interpretation? Regards.
Could I use "It's my pleasure" or "It's a pleasure" in this context? -I'd like to introduce you to my father. -It's my/a pleasure,sir. Thank you for your help.
I wouldn't. Where I come from we say It's a pleasure when someone thanks us for something, particularly something for which you feel thanks aren't necessary. Don't say It's my pleasure. That sounds too self-important to be sufferable.
So, if it is the first time I meet someone, would "It's a pleasure to meet you" be wrong? Thanks again for your replies
Notice I said 'knew of' the person. I'd think it pretentious if you'd never previously heard of the person. Why should it be a particular pleasure to meet them rather than anyone else?
If it is someone you've heard about or know about then "pleased to [finally] meet you" is fine. Otherwise I say, "Nice to meet you" or "Good to meet you". The above may just be my personal observation. I wonder what others would have to say on that subject. If someone said, "Please to meet you" to me, I would probably respond by saying, "And me too", meaning I too, am pleased to meet you.
This would be an unusual exchange, so no, it's not 'natural', not in my prosaic world. These everyday exchanges are set formulae, so departures from them can easily strike a wrong note. If the formula started with 'It is my pleasure to meet you!' then the response 'My pleasure!' would both match and grammatically balance the first phrase in its use of the noun 'pleasure'. These exchanges are meaningless: they're so-called 'phatic' communication, in the same way as 'How are you?' or 'How y' doin'?' are not invitations to describe your health status.
It's the response which sounds a little unnatural to me. "Pleased to meet you" is ordinary enough, especially in a semi-formal setting, but I'd respond with something like "Likewise". I've nothing against "My pleasure" in itself: I just don't think it works in that particular dialogue.
