How to Say 'You're Welcome' in French: Polite and Casual Responses to Thanks
Learn French replies to merci, from formal Je vous en prie to casual Pas de souci, with pronunciation and register guidance.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
When someone says merci to you in French, the reply you choose depends on register and region. This lesson teaches five common responses to 'thank you', explains which are formal or informal, and shows how to react naturally in shops, offices, and with friends. You will practise fixed expressions, so you do not need to build sentences from scratch.
By the end, you can…
- reply to merci in a formal situation using Je vous en prie.
- choose an informal response such as Pas de souci with friends.
- recognise and use regional variants like Avec plaisir and De rien appropriately.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Je vous en prie.
You're welcome. (formal)
zhuh voo zahn pree
Standard formal reply to merci. Use with strangers, elders, customers, or anyone you address as vous. In very polite service contexts it can also mean 'please, go ahead', so tone and situation matter.
Je t'en prie.
You're welcome. (informal)
zhuh tahn pree
The informal counterpart of Je vous en prie. Use with friends, family, children, or colleagues you address as tu. It is warm and neutral, not slangy.
De rien.
You're welcome. / It was nothing.
duh ryen
Very common and neutral, used with both tu and vous. Slightly lighter than Je vous en prie. Safe in most everyday situations, though in very formal writing or with a much older person, Je vous en prie may sound more polished.
Pas de souci.
No problem. / No worries.
pah duh soo-see
Informal and friendly. Use with friends, peers, or in relaxed service situations. Avoid it in highly formal contexts, where it can sound too casual. In Quebec, Pas de problème is also very common.
Avec plaisir.
With pleasure. / My pleasure.
ah-vek play-zeer
Warm and polite, suitable for both formal and friendly situations. Common in France and widely understood elsewhere. It often sounds more personal than De rien.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Most replies to merci are fixed expressions, so you can learn them as whole chunks. The main choice is between formal and informal address: Je vous en prie uses vous, while Je t'en prie uses tu. De rien, Pas de souci, and Avec plaisir do not change with tu or vous, which makes them easy to use when you are unsure. For example: Merci, madame. — Je vous en prie. / Merci ! — De rien !
When to use it
Use Je vous en prie in shops, offices, hotels, and with people you do not know well. Use Je t'en prie with friends and family. De rien works almost anywhere and is a safe default. Pas de souci is best with peers or in casual service exchanges, for example after a friend says Merci pour le café. Avec plaisir adds warmth and suits both a colleague and a host. If you are unsure, De rien is rarely wrong.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Merci beaucoup pour votre aide, monsieur.
Thank you very much for your help, sir.mer-see boh-koo poor voh-truh zed, muh-syuhJe vous en prie.
You're welcome.zhuh voo zahn preeMerci pour le café !
Thanks for the coffee!mer-see poor luh kah-fayPas de souci !
No problem!pah duh soo-seeA little context goes a long way
French politeness often depends on the tu/vous relationship rather than on how close you feel. A shop assistant may say Je vous en prie, while a friend says Je t'en prie. De rien is neutral and common in France; in Quebec, Bienvenue is a very common reply to merci, and Pas de problème is also frequent. Recognise these variants even if you do not use them actively.
One thing to watch for
Using Pas de souci with a teacher, a much older person, or in a formal letter because it translates 'No problem'.
Try this instead: In formal contexts, prefer Je vous en prie or Avec plaisir. For example, after Merci de votre réponse, write Je vous en prie rather than Pas de souci. Keep Pas de souci for friends, peers, and relaxed situations.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1A hotel receptionist says Merci, monsieur. Which reply is most appropriate?
Show a sample answer
Je vous en prie.
The receptionist uses a formal service context and vous, so Je vous en prie fits. Avec plaisir would also be acceptable and warm.
2Your friend says Merci pour le film ! Give one natural informal reply.
Show a sample answer
Pas de souci !
Pas de souci is friendly and informal, matching a friend. De rien or Je t'en prie would also work well.
3You are unsure whether to use tu or vous. Which reply avoids the choice?
Show a sample answer
De rien.
De rien does not change with tu or vous, so it is a safe default. Avec plaisir and Pas de souci are also invariable, though Pas de souci is more casual.
Match your reply to the situation: Je vous en prie for formal, Je t'en prie for informal, and De rien as a safe everyday default.
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