French guides · French words explained
De rien: “it was nothing.”
De rien means “you’re welcome”, and word for word it says “of nothing” — the same shrug English makes with “it was nothing” or “don’t mention it”. It is pronounced duh ree-AN, and it is the reply you will hear a hundred times a day in France. It is also, quietly, a little casual — and there is one situation where you want its more polished twin instead.
Where the phrase comes from
Rien means “nothing”, and de means “of”. So de rien is the tail end of an unspoken sentence — “[thank me] for nothing”, “it cost me nothing”. Most European languages do the same thing: Spanish de nada, Italian di niente, Portuguese de nada.
Rien ends in a nasal vowel: the air goes through your nose and there is no separate n at the end. Aim for “ree-AN” with the final sound humming, not “ree-EN” with a hard N.
Every “you’re welcome”, by register
| French | Say it | Register |
|---|---|---|
| de rien | duh ree-AN | everyday, casual — the default |
| je vous en prie | zhuh voo zahn PREE | formal and polite — strangers, staff, work |
| je t’en prie | zhuh tahn PREE | the same warmth, for friends and family |
| il n’y a pas de quoi | eel nyah pah duh KWAH | “don’t mention it” — warm, slightly longer |
| avec plaisir | ah-vek pleh-ZEER | “with pleasure” — very common in the south |
| pas de souci | pah duh soo-SEE | “no worries” — relaxed, young, informal |
| c’est normal | say nor-MAL | “of course, anyone would” — friendly |
Being thanked by someone senior, a client, or anyone you would call vous, reach for je vous en prie. It is the difference between “no worries” and “not at all” in an English office.
The Quebec difference
In Quebec you will often hear bienvenue used to mean “you’re welcome” — a direct echo of the English phrase. In France, bienvenue only ever means “welcome” as in welcoming someone to a place, so using it as a reply to merci would puzzle a Parisian.
De rien is understood everywhere French is spoken, which makes it the safe choice on either side of the Atlantic.
Using it in a real exchange
| Them | You | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Merci ! | De rien. | friend, café, everyday |
| Merci beaucoup, madame. | Je vous en prie. | formal, polite |
| Merci pour ton aide. | Avec plaisir ! | warm, friendly |
| Merci d’être venu. | Il n’y a pas de quoi. | gracious |
One more habit: French often doubles up. De rien, bonne journée ! — “you’re welcome, have a good day” — is how most shop exchanges actually end.
Hear it, then say it
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Quick answers
De rien, answered.
Saying “you’re welcome” at the right temperature.