Don’t read this post if you don’t like change. But if you’re tired of hearing and saying the same thing all the time, this is for you. While you can’t really change what you hear others say, you can definitely change how you respond to certain things.
If you’re anything like me who gets bored of things fairly fast-even things that are the norm- then you’ve thought at least once in your life why people always respond to Thank you’s with You’re welcome.
Photo by Hanny Naibaho on Unsplash
Frankly, I hardly use bare You’re welcome’s as a response to any thank you’s I receive because I just like to be different. With that said, let’s run through the various ways you can say you’re welcome
1. Don’t mention it or Don’t mention
This statement is often accompanied with a movement of the hand from right to left. Like a brush off. I love this way of saying you’re welcome simply because it’s making what you’ve done seem like it’s not a big deal even if it usually is. When you use ‘don’t mention it’, you seem humble to say the least leaving a lasting impression on the person.
For example, ‘thank you for getting me out of that conversation with him’
‘Oh, don’t mention it!’
2. I know you’d do the same for me
This alternative to ‘you’re welcome’ is often used strategically. You could use it if you want to let the other party know that you’d expect the same if you were in that position. Also, it’s perfect when you’re with a friend you know would certainly do the same for you. Think of it like an appreciation in advance or just reiterating your confidence in the friendship.
A good example would be: ‘thank you for picking the kids up from Danas’
‘Of course! I know you’d do the same for me’
3. No problem or Not a problem
While this seems an odd response to ‘thank you’ it is rather popular. Interpreting it, you’re saying it’s not an issue helping them with whatever you did. In other words, you’re saying you didn’t have to go through a lot of hassle to get it done. I think it goes really well with a short or swift thank you. And I use it often with text messages.
An example would be: I’ve received the document, thanks.
‘No problem’
4. Thank YOU
This way of saying ‘you’re welcome’ is done with an emphasis on the You. The tone at the end changes with this response. It is used often when the person who is saying thank you is really the one that should be thanked.
A great example would be a delivery man who drops something at your doorstep and needs you to sign it. When you sign, he says
‘thank you’
Your response: ‘Thank YOU’
You’re saying thank you here because you feel he really should be the one thanked for delivering your package safely and on time.
While you might be thinking it’s his job and he doesn’t require a thank you, it’s not only the polite thing to do. It motivates the delivery man to deliver your packages on time next time. Plus, it’s common courtesy!
The little things really matter.
5. Pleasure or My Pleasure
This is another favorite of mine. It’s a simple way of responding to a ‘thank you’ and it’s very common. When someone says ‘Nice to meet you’ we often reply with ‘pleasure’ or ‘the pleasure is all mine’ It’s kind of the same thing with ‘thank you’ You want to say you were happy to do something or you really wanted to do something in the first place.
Here’s a perfect example: ‘Thanks for picking me up today’
‘My pleasure’
6. It was nothing
This, just like ‘don’t mention it’ is a great way to down play something big you’ve done for someone especially when you don’t want them to feel indebted to you. I think I hear it more often from people in the United Kingdom. But it’s also a great replacement for ‘you’re welcome’
Example: Thanks or staying up all night to study with me
Oh, it was nothing.
7. You’re very much welcome
This still has the usual words in it but it’s different because it conveys that a persons’ appreciation really is accepted. Imagine giving a random person on the internet a Clubhouse invite simply because they asked. And they type excitedly with all the emojis.
Thank you! J
You can reply: You’re very much welcome
Here are a few other alternatives
Funny responses
- · I’ll count on your vote in the next election!
- · You'll get my bill in the morning.
General Responses
- · Glad to help
- · Don’t worry about it
- · Anytime
- · It was my privilege.
With these, the person can easily tell that you were happy doing something.
Keep in mind that these explanations are not a hard and fast rule for replying to appreciation from others. This is just a guide as to the contexts their mostly used in and considered appropriate for. You can totally switch these up and use them where you see fit. In the end, we just want to convey that we received a person’s appreciation and share our feelings.
While responding to a ‘thank you’ the usual way isn’t a crime, I’m always looking for more creative ways to do things. Besides, having a bank of responses spices things up a little. With simple things like these, you come off as less boring and easy to relate with.
Again, if you’re not one looking to change things often or do things differently, you can absolutely stick to ‘you’re welcome’
There are lots of other ways of saying thank you that haven’t been covered here. Share anyone you use in the comments so we can all learn!
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