de rien
you're welcome
Definition & meaning
De rien is a polite expression meaning “you’re welcome,” “not at all,” or “it was nothing.” It is commonly used in response to merci (“thank you”).
It can be used in both formal and informal situations, although its tone is generally neutral and friendly.
Depending on context, it may also convey “no problem” or “don’t mention it.”
Grammar & Word origin
De rien is a fixed expression made up of:
- de — “of” or “about”
- rien — “nothing”
Its literal meaning is therefore “of nothing,” referring to the idea that the favor or service required no special effort.
Grammatically, rien is an indefinite pronoun meaning “nothing.” In this expression, the two words function together as an idiomatic reply.
Synonyms & antonyms
Common French equivalents include:
- pas de quoi — “don’t mention it” or “no problem”; more informal than de rien
- je vous en prie — “you’re welcome”; more formal or polite
- je t’en prie — the informal version of je vous en prie
- avec plaisir — “with pleasure”; emphasizes that the speaker was happy to help
- il n’y a pas de quoi — “there’s nothing to thank me for”; a fuller version of pas de quoi
There is no exact French antonym for de rien, since it is a response formula rather than a descriptive word. The opposite communicative idea would be refusing thanks or expressing that the favor was significant, for example ce n’est rien does not function as a true antonym, but can emphasize that something was insignificant.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
— Merci ! — De rien !other
— Thank you! — You're welcome!
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