French · Greetings & Essentials
"You're welcome" in French: de rien
de rien
You're welcome in French is often de rien after merci. Je t'en prie / je vous en prie sound a bit more polished. Il n'y a pas de quoi is another warm reply.
Holding a door
— Merci ! — De rien.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce de rien
Say it
duh RYEN
/də ʁjɛ̃/
De rien is duh RYEN. The r is soft; rien has a nasal-ish yen feel without a hard n stop.
"You're welcome" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| de rien | you're welcome Default short reply to merci. | Default short reply to merci. |
| je t'en prie | you're welcome (informal) With tu; also "please, go ahead". | With tu; also "please, go ahead". |
| je vous en prie | you're welcome (formal) With vous; polite service tone. | With vous; polite service tone. |
| il n'y a pas de quoi | don't mention it Friendly alternative. | Friendly alternative. |
How to use de rien in real life
- 1Holding a door
— Merci ! — De rien.
— Thanks! — You're welcome.
Classic two-beat exchange.
- 2Helping a neighbor
De rien, c'était avec plaisir.
You're welcome, it was my pleasure.
De rien plus a warm follow-up.
- 3Café counter
De rien madame, bonne journée.
You're welcome, have a good day.
Service reply.
Mistakes English speakers make with de rien
Incorrect: Tu es welcome.
Correct: De rien.
Reply with de rien (or je t'en prie), not English welcome.
Incorrect: De riens.
Correct: De rien.
Rien has no plural -s here.
Good to know
De rien is short and everywhere. In shops, staff may prefer je vous en prie, which also means "after you" when letting someone pass.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Borrowing a charger
ChatPal
Merci pour le chargeur.
Thanks for the charger.
You
De rien. Tu me le rends ce soir ?
You're welcome. Will you give it back tonight?
ChatPal
Promis. Et merci encore.
Promise. And thanks again.
You
De rien, vraiment.
You're welcome, really.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"You're welcome" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "You're welcome" in French
How do you say you're welcome in French?
De rien is the everyday reply.
What about je vous en prie?
More formal or polished; also used for "please, go ahead".
Can I say bienvenue?
Bienvenue means welcome (as in arrival), not "you're welcome" after thanks.
How do you pronounce de rien?
Duh RYEN.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
Keep reading
- Ordering Food in French: Essential Phrases for 2026Ordering food in french - Learn how to confidently order food in French with real-life phrases and tips for 2026 travelers
- 10 Best French Speaking Practice Apps for 2026Find the best French speaking practice app to build fluency. We review 10 top tools like ChatPal for conversation, travel prep, and building confidence in 2026.
