you're welcome or no problem
- Thread starter ESC85
- Start date
Hello, ESC85. You're probably going to read different opinions on this topic. Some people love the phrase and use it almost exclusively when they answer "Thank you." I hate it. I especially hate it when I hear it coming from some clerk at a store. It sounds snotty and impertinent to me and makes me want to reply: "I'm sure it's not a problem. If it were, you really shouldn't be working here."
Of course your situation is different. You are not speaking as a clerk at a store. Instead, you are replying to some friend of yours who wrote you a message. That friend of yours might like "No problem." It's hard to tell what people will like until you ask them directly.
Of course your situation is different. You are not speaking as a clerk at a store. Instead, you are replying to some friend of yours who wrote you a message. That friend of yours might like "No problem." It's hard to tell what people will like until you ask them directly.
Yes, I agree. "No problem" is generally a much more casual way of saying "you're welcome". I use it in situations where maybe I did a small favor for someone, so the situation doesn't call for anything more than a quick "thanks!" on their part and a simple "no problem" on mine.
Saying "you're welcome" I don't think would be inappropriate in the situation you described, but it is a bit heavier and more sincere.
Saying "you're welcome" I don't think would be inappropriate in the situation you described, but it is a bit heavier and more sincere.
I'm a "you're welcome" person, and don't particularly like "no problem." That said, "no problem" people seem to be taking over the English-language world. Sigh.
If someone requests a favour of me and I carry it out, the person (usually) will say "Thank you!" This is the only time when I might consider saying "No problem" - meaning (for me, at least) "It was not a problem for me that you asked a favour of me".
If I do something unsolicited for someone, and they say "Thank you" that is when I would never say "No problem" but always something more polite like "You're welcome"
If I do something unsolicited for someone, and they say "Thank you" that is when I would never say "No problem" but always something more polite like "You're welcome"
Not for me in this situation. This is a typical "You're welcome!" situation.
I'm not sure why learners of English home in on questionable points of English that are highly dependent upon locale, context, education of of the participants, etc.
(And, we've never touched on the Austrailian "no worries").
Just say "you're welcome" and be done with it, which, as far as I can see, is the collective wisdom of all the knowledgeable folks who have offered advice above. I suggest you take it instead of pushing the issue.
(And, we've never touched on the Austrailian "no worries").
Just say "you're welcome" and be done with it, which, as far as I can see, is the collective wisdom of all the knowledgeable folks who have offered advice above. I suggest you take it instead of pushing the issue.
Perhaps you should read this thread again -- many of us would say, "You're welcome" (as we've said).
The reason why I asked you "what would you say?" was a kind of joking.
I already had gotten what you guys meant. Please, Don't take it seriously.
The reason why I asked you "what would you say?" was a kind of joking.
I already had gotten what you guys meant. Please, Don't take it seriously.
We won't now that you tell us, but there was no way of knowing from your words alone. Unless they're well chosen, words on pages don't smile. That's why we have emoticons and extra words in the dictionary to express our real meaning.
I think the choice depends on where you are and the kind of English you use. I don't use you're welcome at all. (Overall, I think you're welcome is less common in BrE.) So my response could be 'My pleasure', 'Not at all', or 'No problem'. But equally, it could be just a smile or a nod with no response.
An American guy in the Yosemite National Park gift shop held a door open for me and I said Thank you.
He replied 'Certainly'.
How about that?
Rover
He replied 'Certainly'.
How about that?
Rover
And when I was last in Seattle, every waiter or store clerk to whom I said "thank you" repled with a cheery "You bet!"
I found it weird, but better than the obnoxious and ill-mannered "No problem."
ESC85, what the above thread tells you is that there are many people who will be irritated or offended by having someone say "no problem" in response to a thanks. Unless your intention is to risk irritating or offending the person to whom you are speaking, simply do not say "No problem" in response to "Thank you."
I found it weird, but better than the obnoxious and ill-mannered "No problem."
ESC85, what the above thread tells you is that there are many people who will be irritated or offended by having someone say "no problem" in response to a thanks. Unless your intention is to risk irritating or offending the person to whom you are speaking, simply do not say "No problem" in response to "Thank you."
Hello
Even though I'm a non-native speaker of English, but I have always found using "no problem" as a reply to "thank you" a little bit weird. It didn't make sense to me. And this is why I looked it up on the forum here.
I can see that this thread is 8 years old, so I'd like to ask you: Has the language evolved during the past 8 years and "no problem" became more acceptable?
Thank you
Even though I'm a non-native speaker of English, but I have always found using "no problem" as a reply to "thank you" a little bit weird. It didn't make sense to me. And this is why I looked it up on the forum here.
I can see that this thread is 8 years old, so I'd like to ask you: Has the language evolved during the past 8 years and "no problem" became more acceptable?
Thank you
I don't think so. I'd say the phrase is used about as often now as it was then, and that it's no more or less acceptable.