# De Rien Meaning — “You’re Welcome” in French

> **De rien** (duh ree-AN) means “you’re welcome” — literally “of nothing”, in the sense of “it was nothing”. It is the casual everyday reply to *merci*. The formal alternative is **je vous en prie**.

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Updated: 2026-09-07

## 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.

**The sound to get right** — 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 |

**When de rien is slightly too casual** — 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.

## FAQ

### What does de rien mean in English?

“You’re welcome.” Literally it means “of nothing”, in the sense of “it was nothing” or “don’t mention it”.

### How do you pronounce de rien?

duh ree-AN. The e in de is a soft, unstressed “uh”, and rien ends in a nasal vowel — hummed through the nose, with no hard n.

### What is the difference between de rien and je vous en prie?

Both mean “you’re welcome”. De rien is casual and constant in daily life; je vous en prie is the formal, polished version — the right choice with anyone you address as vous.

### Is de rien rude?

Not at all. It is simply informal. In a very formal setting it can sound a touch offhand, which is when je vous en prie serves you better.

### Why do people in Quebec say bienvenue instead?

It mirrors the English “you’re welcome”. In France bienvenue only means “welcome” as a greeting to a place, so de rien is the safer choice internationally.

### What else can I say instead of de rien?

Avec plaisir (“with pleasure”), il n’y a pas de quoi (“don’t mention it”), pas de souci (“no worries”), or c’est normal (“of course”).

## Related guides

- Thank you in French: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides/thank-you-in-french
- Merci meaning: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides/merci-meaning
- 50 common French phrases: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides/common-french-phrases
- All free French guides: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides