Amélie · Learn French How to say it in French How to Say You're Welcome in French (+ Which One to Use)
You’re welcome in French is de rien — pronounced duh RYAN (with a nasal ending) — and it will serve you in almost any casual situation. But French, being French, doesn’t stop at one option: there’s a whole ladder of “you’re welcome” phrases, from the shrugging de rien to the elegant je vous en prie, and choosing the right rung is one of those small things that makes you sound genuinely fluent rather than merely understood. Here’s the ladder, top to bottom.
The main way to say it
De rien — duh RYAN.
Breaking it down:
- Literally “of nothing” — the same logic as Spanish de nada or English “it’s nothing.” You’re waving the thanks away.
- The r is the soft French r from the back of the throat, and -ien is a nasal glide: “ryan” said through the nose, one syllable. Not “ree-en.”
- Register: casual to neutral. Perfect with friends, family, shopkeepers, strangers who thank you for holding the door. In a formal or professional setting it can feel a touch offhand — that’s where the next phrases come in.
The polite upgrade is je t’en prie (tu form, zhuh tahn PREE) / je vous en prie (vous form, zhuh voo zahn PREE) — literally “I beg (it of) you,” functionally a graceful “you’re welcome / please, don’t mention it.” This is what the waiter in a nice Paris restaurant says, what you say to your boss, and what French speakers reach for whenever de rien feels too light.
And the warm one: avec plaisir (ah-vek pleh-ZEER) — “with pleasure.” It says the favor wasn’t just no trouble, it was a joy. Very common, very likable, and (bonus) it’s the signature “you’re welcome” of southern France, though Parisians use it happily too.
Variations
| Phrase | Pronunciation | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| De rien | duh RYAN | The casual default — friends, small favors, everyday life |
| Je t’en prie | zhuh tahn PREE | Polished but warm — tu register |
| Je vous en prie | zhuh voo zahn PREE | The formal standard — service, work, strangers (vous) |
| Avec plaisir | ah-vek pleh-ZEER | ”With pleasure” — warm, enthusiastic, any register |
| Il n’y a pas de quoi | eel nyah pah duh KWAH | ”There’s nothing to thank me for” — friendly, modest |
| Pas de quoi | pah duh KWAH | Clipped casual version of the above |
| Pas de problème | pah duh proh-BLEM | ”No problem” — casual, among younger speakers |
| C’est moi qui vous remercie | say MWAH kee voo ruh-mehr-SEE | ”It’s I who thank you” — gracious, often just “c’est moi !” |
How to choose, in one breath: de rien for everyday life, je vous en prie when there’s a vous in the room, avec plaisir when you want warmth, c’est moi when the thanks should really flow the other way (a customer thanking a shopkeeper, for instance, often gets c’est moi ! back).
A cultural note on that last one: c’est moi (qui vous remercie) — “it’s me (who thanks you)” — is a beloved bit of French politeness ping-pong. Someone thanks you for something that benefited you too, and you return the ball. In Parisian shops and cafés you’ll hear the full exchange a dozen times a day: Merci ! — C’est moi. Bonne journée !
Hear it in context
At a café counter in Paris (formal, vous):
— Votre café, madame. — Merci beaucoup ! — Je vous en prie. Bonne journée ! — C’est moi, merci. À bientôt !
— Your coffee, madam. — Thank you very much! — You’re welcome. Have a good day! — Thank you. See you soon!
Between friends (casual, tu):
— Merci de m’avoir aidé à déménager, t’es un ange. — De rien ! Avec plaisir, même. — Je te revaudrai ça. — Pas de quoi. C’est ça, les amis.
— Thanks for helping me move, you’re an angel. — You’re welcome! With pleasure, even. — I’ll return the favor. — Don’t mention it. That’s what friends are for.
Common mistakes
- Translating “you’re welcome” literally as “vous êtes bienvenu.” In France, bienvenue means “welcome” as in welcoming someone to a place (bienvenue à Paris !), not as a reply to thanks. (Québec uses bienvenue for “you’re welcome” — France doesn’t.)
- Using “de rien” with your boss or a client. Not wrong, but light. When you’re in vous territory, je vous en prie is the safe, polished default.
- Mixing registers: “je t’en prie” to a stranger. The t’ is tu. To anyone you’d vouvoie — and to any group — it’s je vous en prie. The two phrases are not interchangeable.
- Pronouncing “rien” as two syllables. It’s one nasal glide: RYAN. “Ree-en” is the giveaway.
- Answering “merci” with silence. In France, thanks get a reply — even just de rien or je vous en prie. Leaving a merci hanging reads as cold, especially in shops where the politeness ritual (bonjour / merci / bonne journée) is near-sacred.
Related phrases
You can’t say “you’re welcome” without a “thank you” first:
- How to say thank you in French — the other half of this exchange, with all the merci variations.
- How to say how are you in French — the small talk that usually follows.
- For the full politeness toolkit, browse these common French phrases.
FAQ
What’s the most common way to say you’re welcome in French? De rien — the casual, everyday default. In formal situations (anyone you address as vous), je vous en prie is the standard.
What’s the difference between “je t’en prie” and “je vous en prie”? Register only. Je t’en prie is the tu form (friends, family); je vous en prie is the vous form (strangers, professional settings, groups). Same meaning: a polished “you’re welcome.”
Does “bienvenue” mean you’re welcome? Not in France — there it only means “welcome (to a place).” Using it as a reply to merci is a Québécois usage (and an anglicism); in Paris, say de rien or je vous en prie instead.
Is “avec plaisir” too much? Not at all — it’s warm, natural, and used everywhere. It signals the favor was a pleasure rather than a burden, which makes it one of the most likable replies you can give.
What does “c’est moi” mean as a reply to thanks? Short for c’est moi qui vous remercie — “it’s I who thank you.” You’ll hear it constantly in French shops and cafés when both sides have something to be thankful for.
Want these replies to come out instantly — right register, nasal rien and all? Practicing real exchanges out loud with Amélie, an AI French tutor with a Parisian accent, turns the ladder into reflex.