When someone says, ‘thank you,’ the most obvious way to respond is by saying, ‘you’re welcome.’ But, returning the sentiment in the same way over and over again can often feel disingenuous.
So if you find yourself searching for a better way to answer, maybe even Googling ‘how to respond to thank you’ we’ve got a whole list for you. Some, you might not even have thought of before!
Here are 25 different options for how to respond to ‘thank you’.
Ways to respond to ‘thank you,’ verbally
When someone says ‘thank you’ in person, there are many ways you can respond without falling back on the standard ‘you’re welcome.’ Here are 15 ideas for how to respond to ‘thank you,’ verbally:
01“Anytime”
This is a good response for someone with whom you are close, or have helped out in the past.
It demonstrates that you were happy to assist with whatever was asked of you and that you would gladly come to the aid of your friend again, should the need arise.
Photo by valentinsimon under pixabay license
02“I’m always happy to help”
A response like this can be great in both formal and casual settings. In a professional context, such as the workplace, it suggests that you are open and available for completing tasks.
When used in a casual setting, it shows that you have done whatever deed for which you’re being recognized, from the kindness of your heart.
This comment is a perfect response to use when someone is overly thankful or appreciative.
The dismissive nature of the phrase lets them know that more thanks aren’t necessary, and you were not at all disadvantaged by doing them a favor.
04“Not a problem”
An answer with a casual tone like this lets the person you’re thanking know that the help you offered was not a bother to you. It also communicates that he/she is invited to ask for another favor in the future.
Photo by Howard Riminton on unsplash
05“No worries”
Use this option for how to respond to thank you if you feel like what you did was truly not a big deal. It conveys that you are humble and don’t feel that your efforts require further compensation.
06“Sure”
‘Sure’ is a good response to use when you just want to get the moment over with. When there’s no need for a big show of gratitude, and it’s time to move on, this is the ideal phrasing.
07“Think nothing of it”
If you do something for a close friend, no matter how big or small, this is a great way to return their thanks.
The simple but heartfelt statement implies that you acted for your friend without a second thought, and are not expecting anything in return.
Photo by yoav hornung on unsplash
08“That’s okay”
Use this phrase when someone is offering to repay you for your kindness. ‘That’s okay’ suggests that a verbal thank you is sufficient, and no further appreciation is required.
09“Happy to oblige”
When you do something because it makes you feel good, sometimes there’s no need for a thank you. This is a good choice of response because it suggests that you were just glad to be of assistance.
Photo by Lazare under pixabay license
10“The pleasure was all mine”
This is a very polite way of saying you’re welcome.
It’s an especially good option for how to respond to thank you, because it shifts the pressure of showing appreciation off the person you did a favor for, making the engagement less awkward for him/her.
If someone is a good friend to you, sometimes there’s no real need to say ‘you’re welcome’ because you know they would do the same for you in a heartbeat.
You’d do the same’ is a perfect response to for a good friend, because it lets he/she know that that your confident in the foundation of your relationship.
Photo by sasint under pixabay license
12“No, thank you”
If someone has invited you to an event and is thanking you for coming, this is a great response to let your host(s) know that you enjoyed yourself and appreciated the invite.
This comment can also work well when communicating with members of the service industry. When an employee thanks you for coming to a restaurant or hotel, this statement shows appreciation and a humble disposition.
13“Absolutely!”
This is a good response to let someone know that you were more than willing to do them a favor in the first place and that you would gladly do so again.
14“It’s my duty”
In an office setting where you have been presented with a task, this is a formal response to someone who thinks you have done them a favor.
This is a good response to thank you because it tells them that you don’t consider the action a favor and were acting within the scope of your professional duties.
Photo by PublicDomainPictures under pixabay license
15“De nada”
This is Spanish for ‘you’re welcome.’ It is a not-too-serious response and can be seen as playful. ‘De nada’ shows that you don’t think too much of what you did. It wasn’t a big deal.
Ways to respond to ‘thank you’ in a text
When someone says ‘thank you’ through a text, your response can come in a variety of forms. Here are 10 different text-message-friendly ideas for how to respond to ‘thank you.’
16“Emoji”
When someone says ‘thank you’ in text, your response can be in the form of an emoji. A simple smiley face lets the person know that things between you two are good and that you appreciate their gratitude.
Photo by Minesh Patel on reshot
17“It was no big deal, really”
When someone sends you paragraphs upon paragraphs of thanks, this is a good way to let him/her know that the extra effort wasn’t really necessary.
18“Oh, that’s alright!”
When someone offers to do something for you or give you a token of appreciation via text, this response is a great way to let him/her know that the action isn’t necessary, and you already know that he/she is grateful.
Photo by MJ Jakobs on reshot
19“It’s all gravy”
When talking to friends, you probably don’t want to be too formal about accepting a thank you. This is a great option for how to respond to ‘thank you’ because it demonstrates that you are comfortable with the exchange, and don’t wish to make a fuss over it.
20“Of course”
Offering this response shows that you had no problem doing the person a favor, and the effort expended was nothing to you.
This is a great answer to ‘thank you’ because it implies that you were in no way hassled by being asked to do the task and that it was a pleasure to come to the aid of a friend.
Photo by Vasilina on reshot
22“Don’t mention it”
When someone asks you for a favor, or you do something for them without even being asked, this is a good response that shows the aid didn’t take much out of you, so there is no real need for thanks.
This phrase implies that you are not looking for praises and that you were just happy to help.
23“No biggie!”
This expression is commonly used among friends when they do each other small favors. This is a good statement because it shows that you are simply happy to help a friend out.
Photo by skeeze under pixabay license
24“It’s the least I can do for you”
This is a good response to someone who has, at some point, helped you in the past. This phrasing demonstrates what you did was simply a way of repaying him/her.
It’s also good for someone that you share a strong bond with and wish to help in any way you can.
25“Don’t sweat it”
If someone is going on and on in appreciation, this is a great way to encourage them to accept your assistance and move forward.
‘Don’t sweat it’ says that the favor took minimal effort, and the person you’re talking to doesn’t need to be overly thankful.
Conclusion
As you can see, when someone says ‘thank you,’ you don’t have to restrict your answer to ‘you’re welcome.’ There are many other ways that you can acknowledge appreciation.
Understanding how to respond to ‘thank you’ can add depth to your relationships and make it easier to accept praise. After you read this list, you should be well prepared for any kind of ‘thank you.’
