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The best known, globally accepted way of saying “you're welcome” in Spanish is “de nada,” but there are actually many different phrases used to express the same sentiment. Some of these phrases are not common in all Spanish-speaking countries, but most will still convey the appropriate meaning. Here are a few different phrases to try out when responding to someone's gratitude.
How to Say You’re Welcome in Spanish: a Quick Guide
The standard way to say “you’re welcome” in Spanish is de nada, which means “it’s nothing.” Other ways to say “you’re welcome” are por nada (for nothing), no hay de qué (nothing to thank for), and a la orden (at your command).
Steps
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Use "de nada." This is the standard, textbook way of answering “you're welcome” when someone thanks you.[1]- A slightly more accurate English equivalent would be the response, “it's nothing,” rather than “you're welcome.”
- De is a preposition that can be translated to "of," "from," "about," "as," or "with," depending on the phrase it modifies. The most common translation is "of," however.[2]
- Nada is a noun meaning "nothing."
- The strictest, most literal translation of the phrase would be "of nothing" or "about nothing."
- Note that there is no verb in this phrase, so the way it is said or written does not change based on who you speak to.
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Switch to "por nada."[3] While much less common, por nada is another way of saying “you're welcome” that roughly translates to “it's nothing.”- More literally, por nada means something along the lines of for nothing. In Spanish, por is a preposition usually used to mean “for” or “on account of.”[4]
- Note that this phrase is not used in every Spanish-speaking country. It is used in various Latin American countries, like Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, but it is not used in all Latin American countries or in Spain.
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Say "no hay de qué." The literal translation of this phrase does not make much sense in English, but the general meaning is "nothing to thank for." It's pretty common and more polite than "de nada".[5]- Hay translates to "there," so no hay is close to saying "not there" or "there is not."
- Qué translates to "what."
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Say "a la orden" o "a su/tu orden". This translates to "at your command/at the command" meaning that if there's anything else you can assist with, you will be very much willing to do it at the person's command. It is very polite and very common. Some countries use "tu" more prominently than "usted" (and vice versa) and this depends if you use 'a su orden' or 'a tu orden'. "A la orden" is neutral.[6]
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Say "con gusto." This phrase is literally translated to “with pleasure” in English.- Con translates to with in Spanish.
- As a noun, gusto can be translated to “pleasure.”[7]
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State "con mucho gusto." This phrase literally means “with much pleasure.” You can also say "con gusto".- Don't just say "mucho gusto" as this phrase (short for "mucho gusto en conocerte" or "I am pleased to meet you") is more often used as a response to an introduction rather than a way of saying “you're welcome.”
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Use "es mi placer” only if you're feeling especially polite. This saying means “it is my pleasure.” This one is fancy and sparingly said. Use it if you're trying to get someone's interest in you, or if you're trying to impress, or if you simply woke up in a really good mood that day and felt like sprinkling love and kindness everywhere.[8]- Es is a form of the verb ser, meaning “to be.” This is the third person singular conjugation, so it is essentially the same as saying “it is.”
- Mi is a way of showing ownership and means “my.”
- Placer means “pleasure.”[9]
- Similarly, you could also simply state “un placer,” or “a pleasure,” to imply that the favor you are being thanked for was a pleasure to perform.
- Don't use "el placer es mío." Translated literally, this means, “The pleasure is mine.” This is used in response to an introduction. For example, you would say it in response to "Es un placer conocerte Pedro" (it's a pleasure to meet you Pedro).
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan you say "de nada" in all situations?
Community AnswerYes, in many cases you can. You may also hear "por nada," used more sparsely but it is more casual than "de nada." -
QuestionWhat is the word welcome in Spanish?
Community Answer"Bienvenido" is the word for "welcome." However, "You're welcome" is said, "de nada," which loosely translates to "of/for nothing." -
QuestionI have heard that, in Mexico, if you say "es mi placer" it has a sexual connotation and it is better to say "es un placer." Is this accurate?
Community AnswerI'm Mexican and I've never heard of it being misinterpreted in that manner, but both of those are actually rather formal. I suggest using "de nada," "de qué," or the longer version "no hay de qué."
Tips
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Note that there is no direct translation for “you are welcome” as a response to thanks. Eres bienvenido, which is a direct translation of the words "You are welcome," is not an appropriate response to give when someone thanks you in Spanish.Thanks
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In Spanish the qu sounds like a k, always in every word.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de%20nada
- ↑ https://www.cliffsnotes.com/cliffsnotes/subjects/foreign-languages/in-spanish-how-do-i-know-when-to-use-de-del-a-and-al
- ↑ http://www.howdoyousay.net/english-spanish/You're_welcome/
- ↑ http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/por
- ↑ https://www.spanishdict.com/translate/no%20hay%20de%20qu%C3%A9
- ↑ https://linguaholic.com/linguablog/how-to-say-you-are-welcome-in-spanish/
- ↑ http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/gusto
- ↑ https://www.spanishdict.com/translate/es%20mi%20placer
- ↑ https://eudict.com/?lang=spaeng&word=placer
About This Article
To say “You’re welcome” in Spanish, start with the standard phrase “de nada” which translates in English to “it’s nothing.” You can also use “por nada” which is less commonly used but means the same thing. For a more polite way to say “You’re welcome,” use the phrase “no hay de qué” which loosely translates to “nothing to thank for.” If you want to express that something is no trouble, you can say “a la orden” which means “at your command.” To learn how to say “You’re welcome” and express pleasure while doing so, keep scrolling!
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