We’ve all said this.
When someone says, “thank you”, we say, “you’re welcome”.
It’s customary.
It’s also odd.
What does this really mean?
The other day, I heard we should say, “you’re welcome” and nothing else when we are thanked.
The point they made was that “you’re welcome” is a sign of confidence and a symbol of closeness.
When I looked the origin up online, the phrase means “you’re welcome to ask again anytime”.
That would imply closeness, but I’m not sure about confidence.
Alternatives To Consider
While I do say, “thank you”, I also often say, “no problem”.
I don’t want anyone to think that their asking was inconvenient or difficult for me.
So, I looked up why we say, “no problem” and came across a gem.
Devon on Grammarly wrote an article titled “14 Ways to Say, ‘You’re Welcome”.
Her point, which I agree with is that in professional settings, our role often involves doing things for others and the phrase “you’re welcome” can get stale and overused.
Out of the list of 14, these 5 were my favorites (definitions from the article and my thoughts added):
- No problem: This needs to be on my list because I use it often. The article says the phrase allows you to acknowledge someone’s thanks and imply that your action wasn’t a big deal and didn’t put you out in any way. (The good news is that I’m using it correctly!)
- Anytime: This is a quick, casual way to let the other person know you’re open to helping them in the future. (A good option to have in my back pocket instead of my go to.)
- Happy to help: This communicates a spirit of camaraderie. This phrase is like “my pleasure,” but the key difference is that it’s more informal. (Fun and unique.)
- Just returning the favor: This is especially useful in reciprocal relationships, like those between coworkers who don’t usually work together. It leaves the door open if you need to ask for help with something in the future. (New to me, but I like it.)
- You’re very welcome: This is a simple way to match someone’s enthusiasm when they say, “thank you so much.” (I like the ability to add emphasis and appreciation with this one)
Your Turn
What do you say when someone thanks you?
Are your responses different at work vs. at home?
When you look at the full list of 14, which ones feel right to you?