How to respond correctly to the word “thank you”: with humor, beautifully, after a meal

It is important to respond correctly to the word “thank you.” Beautiful phrases will help strengthen friendships and relationships.

Gratitude is always nice. But how to respond to the word “thank you” ? And is it necessary to do this? After all, we are used to not saying anything if someone thanks us. At best, we just smile and say a simple phrase - something like “please.”

Read another article on our website on the topic: “How to respond to the words “Good morning”, “Good afternoon”?” . You will find interesting options, cool, original answers.

This article describes how to properly respond to gratitude, and whether you need to say anything at all. Read on.

Is it necessary to respond with a “thank you”?

The word “thank you”
From an early age, a person is taught to thank others for their affection, congratulations and gifts. The very word “thank you” is a mandatory norm of politeness. As a rule, it says that the person is polite and well-mannered, he knows how to accept signs of attention, and is aware of their value. However, some people respond to words of gratitude. And some simply ignore them and pretend that nothing happened. What to do in this case? Do you need to respond if you are thanked for something?

In fact, it all depends on the situation.
In some cases, an air kiss, a handshake, or just a kind, fleeting smile is enough. The person will understand that you heard his gratitude and he will be pleased.
But remember also that the word “thank you” is not always said with kindness and sincerity. Sometimes this is a sign of mockery (“well, thank you, I’m friendly”). If a word is used in a negative way, it would be wiser to simply remain silent. And pretend that no one noticed the interlocutor’s barbs.

Common versions of the “thank you” :

"You're welcome"
“Thank you”
"Do not mention it"
"No big deal, don't pay attention"
"Glad you liked it"
"I'm glad you enjoyed it"
“I was glad to help you”
“I was glad to please you”
“If you need more help, please contact me” and so on

It all depends on the specific situation. However, you need to respond to “thank you” . Why? With the phrases “contact us”, “you’re welcome” and the like, we seem to strengthen our psychological contact with the interlocutor, and the friendship grows stronger.

In some cases, it is worth emphasizing that it was easy and even joyful for you to do something nice for a person. Then he will understand that you treat him very well, and he will want to communicate with you more often. You can also notice how important the person is. The main idea: “for someone so dear to your heart, you don’t feel sorry for money, material goods, food, or time . As they say: “praise and honor to the distinguished guest” !

However, psychologists do not recommend using the “you’re welcome” . In their understanding, it means lost profits. And it minimizes the significance of the efforts that a person makes. It's best to say:

"Always at your service"
"Contact"
"I'm glad you liked it"
“I was glad to help,” etc.

Naturally, in this case, you should approach with a kind smile and peacefully - and not as if you are doing your interlocutor a favor.

Also good options:

"It's the least I could do for you"
"Let's be numbered"
"It's nothing"
“Always happy to cooperate”
“That’s why we are friends, to help each other”
“Don’t thank me, today I helped you, and tomorrow you will help me”
“It’s not worth thanking for such little things”
“No problem”, “welcome!”
"I can do everything for you!"
“Be kind!” etc.

Now you know that you need to respond to words of gratitude and you know how to do it. Below is even more useful information. Read on.

I'm happy to help - Glad to help

Used when the person who thanked you apologizes for your efforts/sacrifice i.e. you helped him a lot.

An example is a quote from the book “Because of Her” by Ashley Facundo. In the book, the main character named Ashley decided to thank Andy for helping her on her math exam:

She was putting away her things as she looked up at him:

We will thanks again andrew for everything.

Andrew had a grin spread across his face as he looked at her:

Really, I'm happy to help .

She put her things down and looked at him:

We thank Andrew again for everything.

Andrew smiled as he looked at her.

In fact, I'm glad to help .

How to respond to the word “thank you” after eating?

The word “thank you”
Having fed a dear guest lunch or dinner, the hosts will be very pleased to hear words of gratitude from him. After all, they were preparing for the arrival of a person in the house, cleaning and cooking. That is why saying “thank you” when getting up from the table after a meal is considered a sign of good upbringing.

Moreover, in many families “thank you” to their relatives for eating: for example, a husband to his wife, children to their parents, etc. This is also considered quite normal. After all, when preparing food, a person spends his time and effort, he puts his warmth and love into preparing the dish. And he sincerely hopes that it will be tasty and that others will like it. This is why eaters should not be indifferent. They are obliged to thank the cook. But it will be awkward if there is a tense pause after this phrase (“thank you”). What can the hostess answer in this case? How to respond to the word “thank you” after eating?

Many people use phrases like:

Cheers! (a universal phrase, both with strangers and with relatives).
Let it go for good! (this refers to the benefit to the eater from the dish).
We are glad that you appreciated our (or my) culinary efforts! (the phrase shows that the cook really wanted his dish to be liked).
Eat, don’t get dirty (more negative version, mockery).

If you want to answer with humor, then look for phrases below in the text. Read on.

No need for that. - It is not necessary

Used to say that gratitude is not necessary.

An example is the dialogue from Kimberly Vogel’s book “DANY: The Collection.” The main character tells the hero that she loves him, and he reciprocates her feelings:

I am glad for that. Thank you, - sweetly smiling still she dropped her head to break eye contact.
No need for that , - he replied as he pulled himself out of the haze. — You don't need to thank me for loving you.

Translation:

I'm glad. Thank you,” smiling sweetly, she lowered her head to look away.
“There’s no need for that ,” he replied, coming to his senses. “You don’t need to thank me for loving you.”

There are many more ways to say “please”, we have sorted out the most interesting ones. Here are a few more:

Sure thing! - Please!
Not at all! - Do not mention it!
Anything for you! - Anything for you!
It's all right! - Everything is fine!

2 people voted.

How to respond to “thank you” with humor?

Often it is humor that becomes the key to ease in a friendly conversation. If a peer says “thank you ,” you can say something like:

“Thanks alone won’t get you off”
"Let's be numbered"
“What thanks? From you 200 dollars"
“Gratitude alone will not satisfy you”
“Can we have something more substantial?” etc.

Naturally, everything depends on the degree of closeness between friends. In the case of a person you have known for a long time, you can use frivolous forms of words “with a joke,” and if this is just a good friend, it is better not to be too sarcastic in your answer, because it is not always clear how he might react to this.

I now say “thank you” instead of “thank you” more often.

For some reason I like this word better! Speaking as if you are giving a piece of the warmth of your soul to a person. A derivative or response from it are the words “thank you” (that is, I give thanks) or “give thanks.” In this version, the person pronouncing this word seems to be asking for something for himself - asking for a blessing to be given. However, this word is also perceived in the meaning of “thank you.” The word "thank you" is used more widely. And young children from early childhood are taught to say this very word as a sign of gratitude. You can also replace the word “thank you” with the words “grateful” or “appreciative.” That is, for some service provided, it is quite possible to say: “I am very grateful to you.” And this will emphasize your gratitude to this person.

How to properly respond to the word “thank you” to a girl?

In the case of a girl you like, you can always turn the situation to your advantage. What is the correct response to the word “thank you” in this case? Here are some options:

“Thank you” is, of course, good. Can I at least kiss you on the cheek?
I hope I earned at least one date?
There is no need to thank you here, it smells like hugs!

But how can you answer on behalf of a girl if she needs to say words of gratitude? Of course, there are banal options:

"I'm glad you liked it"
"I'm glad I pleased you"
"I'm glad I helped you"
“It was not at all difficult for me to help you” (universal option)

In the case of flirting, you can answer: “Just thank you? And I thought that you would kiss me/invite me on a date,” etc. It all depends on the presence (or absence) of sympathy between the guy thanking him and the girl receiving gratitude.

No worries - Don’t worry / don’t worry

The expression “no worries” is a more informal version of phrases such as “do not worry about that”, “that's all right”. The phrase is widely used in Australian speech and shows friendliness and optimism:

I have never been in this town. Thank you for helping me find the bus stop.
Oh, no worries . Glad to help!

Translation:

I've never been to this city. Thank you for helping me find the bus stop.
Oh don't worry . I am glad to help!

How can you respond to the word “thank you” beautifully?

The word “thank you”
If you like to speak in beautiful words, then you need to respond to gratitude in a special way - interesting and original. It's easy to do. How can you respond to the word “thank you” beautifully? Here are some options:

Enjoy it for your health.
For a good person nothing is a pity.
Come on, this is a lot, I can’t convey so much.
Do you think I deserve it?
You are so generous!
Oh, don't embarrass me with your generosity.
And my respect to you.
No, we have a mutually beneficial cooperation.
It’s too early to say thank you, we’ll see what comes of it.
Don’t rush to thank me, I’ll still be useful.
Yes, it's a small thing. Although, I see you are pleased.
No problems! Always at your service!
Don’t thank me, I think you would have helped me in this situation too.
Thank you, of course that's good. Well, is there anything more weighty?
You went too far with the “thank you”, a kiss would have been enough.
No need for ceremony, kiss on the cheek and forget about it.
I see that you misjudged mine; you won’t get away with it. “Thank you” is appropriate here.
Wow, I didn’t even count on a “thank you.” Well, you've been generous.

It is worth noting that the answer may not only be in the form of words. Gestures are a great way to communicate in a beautiful and original way. Read on.

It was nothing - Trifles!

Consider an example from Bobby Trout's story “The Signal.” The boys thank Gilbert for saving their lives, and he politely tells them that it was a trifle or a trifle and he was ready to come to the aid of his friends.

Thank you, Gilbert, said Billy Ray. — I knew one day you would come through.

“Oh, it was nothing ,” Gilbert replied.

Nothing,” spoke up Big Sam. “Oh, it was something alright,” he said. - You saved our lives and we are proud of you.

Translation:

Thank you, Gilbert,” Billy Ray said. “I knew that one day you would come.”

“Oh, nothing ,” Gilbert replied.

Trifles? - said Big Sam. “It was something, okay,” he said. “You saved our lives, and we are proud of you.”

Can be used in the present tense - it is nothing.

Responding to “thank you” using gestures

The language of the deaf has its own version of gratitude. This gesture is very easy to understand and perform. First you need to clench your fist, and then place it from your forehead to your chin. This way you can thank anyone: a friend, a mentor, or a stranger. But how do you respond to “thank you” using gestures?

You can make exactly the same gesture with your hand - then the person will understand that you “heard” his gesture.
For both speaking and hearing people, responses to “thank you” can include a touch on the shoulder, a handshake, a smile, or even a kiss.

It all depends on the degree of kinship, intimacy, affection.

Thanks or Thanks?

The words “Thank you” and “Please” began to penetrate the Russian language from the beginning of the 17th century; the words did not take root for a long time. In literature until the 20th century, artificially imposed “thank you” was practically not used. Thank you is a word with a double meaning. The first meaning is the one we were taught. “Thank you” expresses gratitude, the wish that a person will be protected by God. The second meaning lies at the root basis and operates at the level of a person’s subconscious, deprives him of his will and accustoms him to the idea that he is not the master of his destiny, and everything that happens to a person is only the will of God.

“Thank you” for the congratulations in your own words: what to answer?

The word “thank you”
When people congratulate us, we must respond without fail. After all, people try and pay attention. How to respond to “thank you” for congratulations in your own words? When a person thanks you for your kind words, you can say this:

“For a good friend, congratulations are never a bad thing.”
“I would like to wish you and do much more for you.”
"You're welcome! Don’t forget that I am your friend, so I’m always happy to wish you happiness. But also to help in practice, if something happens.”

You can also answer:

"You're welcome! Today is your day!".

Thus, the birthday boy will understand that he is the hero of this entire evening. And he won’t feel squeezed because he received a gift and a huge amount of attention.

It was the least I could do - This is the least I could do

You can use this expression to say that you did something very willingly and you wanted to help.

Let's look at an example from Margery Lewty's book An Extraordinary Engagement. The main character thanks Mark Ryan for his support in a very difficult situation:

Thank you for the sustenance and the kind thought, Mr….
Ryan, he said. —Mark Ryan
Well, thank you again, Mr. Ryan. - She said and turned to go.
“It was the least I could do ,” He replied.

Translation:

Thank you for your support and kindness, Mister...
Ryan,” he said. — Mark Ryan.
Well, thank you again, Mr. Ryan,” she said and turned to leave.
“It’s the least I could do ,” he replied.

The word “thank you”: what is unacceptable?

When responding to the word “thank you ,” you should not say “you’re welcome . After all, through such an answer a person devalues his efforts, his help and work. That is why it is better to say “please” or “glad to help . However, you should not exaggerate your merits: “Where would you be if it weren’t for me! So I always help you, but you never help me,” and so on. What else is unacceptable?

Also, you should not emphasize what titanic efforts this help cost you.
Because in this way you can drive a person into depression and depression.
He will constantly replay your words in his head and think that he is now very much obliged to you and for the rest of his life he will not be able to pay for the attention shown to him.

In other words, the response to “thank you” should not be rude or make the person feel awkward. It must be constructed in such a way that a person understands that no “mutual gestures” need be made. After all, they helped him honestly and disinterestedly. Of course, after the word “thank you” you should never hint at material reward (except perhaps in a humorous tone). Otherwise, it's simply unethical.

But you shouldn’t show that you treated the person’s problem as some kind of sheer nonsense. Yes, help could really be a piece of cake for you. But for a person it was something important, insoluble. And only you helped him get out of the situation.

Advice: Be reasonable, polite and tactful. Look for the line between self-confidence and self-confidence. Avoid unnecessary boasting. Show that you helped the person sincerely - and not for your own benefit.

Brief and modern rules of etiquette

Everyone knows that there are certain rules of etiquette that apply in different situations. There are books and courses on etiquette. Let's remember some of these rules.

You cannot come to visit without calling and warning, it may seem intrusive and impolite;
It is indecent to use your smartphone if you are talking to people; in a restaurant you should not put it on the table;
Men should not carry women's bags;
You should always monitor the condition of your shoes - they should be clean;
A man walks down the street to the left of a woman (with the exception of military personnel);
When indoors, a woman must remove her hat and gloves;
The man enters the elevator first;
The first person to enter the restaurant is the one who is going to pay;
When a man shakes hands, he must remove his glove (a woman may not remove it);
In public transport, men give way to ladies;
You can smoke in the presence of a woman only with her permission.

The use of polite words and phrases is also part of the rules of good manners. Of course, we have not listed all the rules of etiquette here, but, in our opinion, they are the most important.

What to say with the word “thank you” if you’ve given a gift: what else can I say?

The word “thank you”
If you have been given a gift, then you can add a few more phrases “thank you” This will show that the giver is dear to you and you value your friendship or relationship. What to say with the word “thank you” if you’ve given a gift, what else should you say?

When choosing an answer, you should take into account the degree of intimacy with the person. In any case, it makes sense to say:

“I’m glad you liked my gift.”
“Nice that you liked it”
“I really value you as a friend, so I don’t feel sorry for anything for you!”
“Welcome! I love you so much that I would give you 1000 of these!”
“Let this gift remind you of our friendship.”
"You're welcome! Use/wear with pleasure!”

Now you have many beautiful and suitable phrases to answer. Choose a few, memorize them and use them at the right time. Good luck!

Polite requests and phrases in English

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English language

Words of greeting are where any interaction begins, whether with a friend or a salesperson in a store. There are many options, choose the one that suits you:

Hi. - Hello.
Good morning (afternoon, evening). — Good morning (afternoon, evening).
Hey - Hey
Hello. - Hello
Greetings! - Greetings!
Nice to see you. - Glad to see you.
I'm so glad to meet you. - I'm so glad to meet you.
I've heard a lot about you. - I've heard a lot about you.