You’re Welcome In French

Do you want to learn how to say “you’re welcome” in French?

The French language is known for its refined etiquette. There is a wide variety of phrasing that can be used to express gratitude or to make someone else feel good about themselves.

When compared to other languages, French has a relatively limited number of ways to express gratitude to another person.

However, in French, there are many ways to respond to someone who has thanked you by indicating that it was nothing, that it was your pleasure, that there is nothing for which other people should thank you, and so on.

In this guide, we wanted to share a few different ways of saying “You’re Welcome” in French as well as how best to use them.

You’re Welcome In French

How to say You’re Welcome In French

1. De rien – You’re welcome

De rien, pronounced də ʀjɛ̃ means “You’re Welcome” in French. The French word “de rien” translates to “of nothing” in English. This is the most popular way to respond to “Merci.”

This expression with “je,” and more or less sounding like “duh,” is “de” (pronunciation symbol: d).

Rien is from raison, which means “nothing,” and is pronounced as “ree + a nasal “in.” Think of the “in” from ”inviter “ to get the same nasal sound.

Still, if you are learning French, it is not enough to just say “de rien” when you want to respond to “Thank you.” Here are a variety of ways to say “You’re welcome” in French to spice up your growing lexicon.

2. il n’y a pas de quo — Don’t mention it

If you want to make it clear that the other person is not required to express gratitude to you, you can say “don’t mention it.” In French, it is “il n’y a pas de quoi”.

This phrase is frequently shortened to “Y’a pas de quoi,” and both versions mean the same thing: “there’s no reason to (thank me).”

3. Pas de problème – No problem

The straightforward phrase “pas de problème” is yet another option for saying “you’re welcome” in French. This is very simple to remember since it is very straightforward and has an equivalent in English, which is no problem.

One could say this in either a shorter or longer form depending on their preference. The phrase “pas de problème” is shortened from the French phrase “il n’y a pas de problème,” which literally translates to “there is no problem.”

4. Ce n’est rien – It was nothing

A useful and simple term to add to your French vocabulary. Another French equivalent of “you’re welcome” is “ce n’est rien,” which means “it’s nothing.” It can be shortened in spoken French, as can most French sentences. C’est rien is the shortened form of this phrase.

Keep in mind that although shortened sentences like this sound more natural when spoken, they are not grammatically correct and should never be written. This is a particularly egregious mistake in written French because the negation is lost entirely when the sentence is spoken.

C’est rien could mean “nothing,” “nothing at all,” or “no bother” in English.

One alternative is to say “Ce n’est rien du tout,” which means “it was no bother” or “it was nothing.”

5. Avec plaisir – My pleasure

In French, the phrase “with pleasure” is another of the most common ways to express the sentiment “my pleasure.” In France, particularly in the south-western region of the country, people would say “avec plaisir.” If you’ve ever been to “The Pink City,” also known as Toulouse, then you’ve probably heard the phrase “avec plaisir” more frequently than in other parts of France; however, you shouldn’t be surprised if you hear it in other places as well.

6. Bienvenue — You’re Welcome in Canadian French

The Canadian province of Quebec has its own unique alternative to “you’re welcome” that can be used in place of the standard American variant. “Bienvenue” is a common greeting from them.

In most contexts, the French word bienvenue means “welcome,” as in “Bienvenue en France!” While in the United States, this would be an awkward response, in Canada it is a common way to show appreciation.

Remember that this is only used in French-speaking Canada; saying “bienvenue” in the rest of France could lead to some serious confusion.

Want to learn more French phrases? Check out our language guides below: 

• Hello in French
• Nice to meet you in French 
• I love you in French
• Goodbye in French
• I’m Sorry in French
• I Miss You In French