I hear “No problem” far more often.
Years ago, I had to do customer service training for a job, and one thing they said is to always say “you’re welcome” instead of “no problem”, because some people think “no problem” is rude. But I think it’s a generational thing, and it’s kind of the opposite with younger folks.
No worries.
All good
You got it.
My pleasure.
Anything for you 😉
Cup my balls!
Sorry, that might be regional…
I’ll just walk around saying thank you to everyone.
As you wish
Anytime!
Gotta add a ‘daddy’ at the end for maximum effect.
Anything for you, Papa Top Ramen Bin Laden
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Too easy!
I have a friend who loses his mind when anyone uses this (who isn’t Australian.) He is also not Australian, not sure what his burden is
Hit him with a “No wukkas mate” that will sort him right out
I go with “no wuckin furries”.
I’m now weirdly self-aware of how often I say that. It is probably better if I don’t meet your friend.
explanation I got long ago was that “No worries” was reserved when the situation was so bad, nothing you did would change things – sit back, “No worries”, crack a beer, and enjoy the spectacle
Has he seen “The Lion King”?
Quiet, you fool!
This is my go to. Picked it up when I was in AUS for a while and it has never left my lexicon.
I think we collectively decided that “you’re welcome” doesn’t make sense. Welcome to what??
spoiler
asdfasdfsadfasfasdf
Implying that it was an effort, but you are welcome to it. Whereas “no problem” denotes that the effort is was not a problem for me to do. I use them interchangeably - “you’re welcome” as a response to a complement, or something where there was moderate effort put into the task; “no problem” when the task was low effort (“Thanks for responding to that email so quickly”) or I feel my effort was obliged (helping pick up after a meeting).
Actually “no problem” implies that the thing would normally be a problem, but that you are negating that.
It’s like saying “No visible bruising”. There’s the implication something happened that might have caused bruising.
Disagree, no problem is saying that what you are thanking me for was not a problem for me to do.
Honestly, I think this perception is the disconnect between millennials thinking it’s better and boomers thinking it’s rude - two different perspectives of what it means.
Also, don’t ackchyually me on an opinion.
you’re whale cum
Welcome to what??
Isn’t that obvious? You’re welcome to the thing you received. The thing you are thanking them for.
to impose on me duh
Maybe it’s “you are welcome (to ask me for help/favors, as I am neutral to the task. I might even enjoy it.)”
And “it’s not a problem (for me to do what you asked me to do; we have now both acknowledged that I have done something to help you that was not organic to me, but now we can move past it with no further conversation.)”
I bet “no problem” to some people is like seeing someone wear a T-shirt to church. They’d really prefer it if you would put on a suit and tie, even though the purpose of both are the same (cover my body when away from home because that is our current social agreement), because a T-shirt is disrespectful.
Also everyone sucks, it is a problem, and you are not welcome.
Nothing is worse than other options though like Chic fil a’s mandated “my pleasure”
When a chic-fil-a worker hits you with that, you gotta one-up them with “No! The pleasure is all mine!” and then hit the gas, peeling out cackling because you stole that pleasure motherfuckaaaaah.
(Or better, don’t go to chic-fil-a)
I told a bartender “oh, the pleasure was all ours!” one time just sort of joking around and he said “you have no idea how much”. I wasn’t really sure how to take that.
I would be wondering what I did to make his job more difficult.
Yeah, I saw a few intepretations:
- he was joking
- he hates his job and all of the customers
- he hated us in particular (there’d be no reason why though, my gf and I showed up, had a couple glasses of wine, didn’t complain that one had gnats in it, got rained on on the patio, went inside and paid and I had just finished tipping 25-30%)
OH YEAH I"M GETTING PLEASURE TOO!
I think a lot of younger generation, myself included, prefer casual responses, conflating professionalism with being rude, slimy, or otherwise malintentioned
I had to do one communucation trainung where the trainer saud that saying “no problem” should not be used, because it implies there might’ve been a problem. I was not convinced though.
Then “your welcome” implies you might not be welcome. Seems like either both work or both are problematic, he can’t have it both ways.
Agreed. Might also be because “problem” is a word with negative conotation? Idk, I don’t see a problem (hah) myself
Wow. facepalm The words literally say there’s no problem, and yet it somehow implies there is a problem? Talk about overthinking what someone is saying.
This is why I often hate neurotypical communication styles. The world would be a lot more straightforward if people just said what they meant. Jesus fucking Christ on a motorbike…
… would be quite a sight to see. Although if He can do all those other miracles, I guess fucking Himself on a motorcycle wouldn’t be impossible. So I guess it’s just a straightforward statement on your part.
............I ship it.
It doesn’t imply that there is a problem. It implies that there would have been a problem, if it hadn’t been generously waived by the “no problem”.
Then why are people tripping about saying “you’re welcome”?
I’m sorry; what are you asking?
Someone said that to me just the other day! That saying “no problem” implies there might be a problem. Crazy. I’m thinking of switching to “well it was quite an imposition on my time and energy to help you out, especially given you’re not paying me, but I’ll let it slide this time because you seem like an ok person and I’m in a good mood” just to annoy them.
I doubt that would annoy them more than “no problem” since it is perfectly in line with what they think you’re saying by “no problem”.
During my years in retail exactly one customer ever had a problem with me saying “no problem”. He also said he was an assassin. That’s not a joke. This old, fat boomer said I shouldn’t say ‘no problem’ because some people might take it to mean ‘yes problem’ and then told me he kills people for a living.
That’s the stability of people that can’t understand the meaning of words. If I go to a police station and say I am a serial killer vs I’m not a serial killer, I don’t expect them to react the same…
I’ve been making an effort to use “happy to help” at work, instead of “no problem” because I was also informed it’s a generational thing.
For paid service I like the simple “of course” recognizing that is what I’m here for and it’s normal. No faux generosity nor implication of a tolerated imposition.
But what about “No problem at all”?
I see “no problem” as nicer. If I say that, I’m expressing that I really don’t mind, and there’s no need to thank me. No problem, as in I had no problem with doing this thing
“You’re welcome” feels more like “I appreciate you thanking me, because I went out of my way to do this”, if that makes any sense
Huh, to me, YW is much more gracious and positive that you’re happy to do it, while NP is more like “it was a tolerable burden”.
Though for paid service I don’t like expected faux enthusiasm. I think “of course” is classy and not demeaning then, meaning “it’s what I’m here for”.
In German, “you’re welcome” means “gern geschehen” which can be translated back to “I did it gladly”. So yea, I also think YW is very positive
See, that’s much closer to “(It was) my pleasure”, which is a valid English response (though these days it puts people in the mind of “Chick-fil-A employee”) than it is “You’re welcome”.
Duolingo taught me “wilkommen” for “welcome.” Is that used IRL?
No, not in the context of “you’re welcome”. Wilkommen is only used for saying e.g. “welcome home”
Thanks!
Except “no problem” traditionally means “no problem [despite this situation containing a likely problem]”.
It means the person being thanked has gone outside their set of responsibilities to help you.
Like “Thanks for letting us borrow your spare tire so we could get our car back to town” -> “no problem”.
Here the other person had no responsibility to help with the others’ flat tire, much less lend out a piece of their own safety equipment.
“You’re welcome” is the one which means “It is perfectly expected in our current roles that I would have provided this”.
And I see it totally opposite. Interesting.
Also, can you cite this “traditionally” you reference?
I go to DMV. “You need a number to be in this line”. “My mistake. Where do I get this number?” “Over there.” “Oh, I see, thank you.” “You’re welcome.”
Wow, because the DMV uses it? Thanks for the source! Wait, I’ve heard a person at the DMV say “no problem” before…
Also, I was asking the original commenter about the “traditional” use of “no problem”.
Here’s a response I’ve seen about this around the net for a while now that feels right.
–
"Actually, the “you’re welcome/no problem” issue is simply a linguistics misunderstanding. Older ppl tend to say “you’re welcome,” younger ppl tend to say “no problem.” This is because for older people the act of helping or assisting someone is seen as a task that is not expected of them, but is them doing extra, so it’s them saying, ‘I accept your thanks because I know I deserve it.”
“No problem, however, is used because younger people feel not only that helping or assisting someone is a given and expected but also that it should be stressed that your need for help was no burden to them (even if it was).”
“Basically, older people think help is a gift you give, younger people think help is a requirement.”
That’s some stereotyping ageist bullshit.
To be fair, with no data to back it up, this is just an anecdote. So saying it’s stereotyping ageist bullshit is a perfectly valid response to it. I just felt it fit the question quite well so I went and dug it up and shared it. If you feel differently, no stress!
The reality is going to be different to everyone, and it’s as much a learned behaviour as anything else. It’s not like collectively an entire generation got together and decided “it’s ‘no problem’ now instead of ‘you’re welcome’, okay?” Language evolves over time after all, and knowing why that happens and the actual causes for it are something that will require a lot more analysis than a couple of anecdotes from the internet.
Yeah, sorry, I should add that I refer to the article, not your posting of it.
The meat of the thing is a rando reply to a tweet by a guy, not any research the guy did.
As a not-so-young-anymore young person, I’ve always said “no problem” for exactly this reason
More of an observation on a generational shift. A culture change with a language change coming with it.
calling it a “linguistics misunderstanding” makes it seem more scientific than it probably is. I’d like to see some evidence to back it up, because to me it just looks like some Tumblr user’s conjecture.
and yet the youngers are the “entitled generation”
you can say “you’re welcome”, its no problem
you can also say “no problem”
hope this helps, you’re welcome
I saw a post a while back that said millennials use “no problem” instead of “you’re welcome” because no problem signifies the act was of little effort and was no problem to do. However, “you’re welcome” implies entitlement, as in you are welcomed to my time and effort, or some shit. I don’t remember, but yeah, just a “generational thing.”
So yeah it’s a “can I speak to your manager” boomer thing, as usual. Only group I ever see getting their panties in a wad over a phrase. Just like “Merry Christmas” changing to “Happy Holidays” erases their religion or dares to put other similar holidays, in the same approximate time of the year on equal footing, making their religious holiday less significant.
The appropriate response is that the debt must be repaid in kind, within the fortnight, lest their house fall into disrepute
Or, simply: noblesse oblige.
Actually, this might be the absolutely most obnoxious possibly response, especially in English. I’ve heard it used unironically in French, and I think I recall hearing it used sardonically in English. Anyone else?
The only time I say those words, Noblesse Oblige, is when I joined a clan of the same name in Kingdom of Loathing. I was still confused then and we just called it NO.
I always go with ‘No worries’ or ‘All good’, because ‘You’re welcome’ feels too formal for everyday conversations, plus as another comment mentioned it’s a generational thing as well
See it’s not that “You’re Welcome” is too formal, I just can’t say it without almost breaking out into this.… Now it just almost sounds sarcastic
And sometimes I just can’t help myself and I ad lib all the lyrics to whatever situation I am in. That movie completely ruined it for me.
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yer welks, guv’nor
“You’re welcome” is too much of a commitment for me. What if I don’t want to help next time but already told the other party they were welcome to my help? Formally revoking that welcome sounds really awkward.
“No problem” is just more honest because it keeps the scope to the current episode. Unless it was a problem but I’m glossing over it to just end the episode, in which case it’s still better than “you’re welcome”.
“Sure”
Disclaimer: These are just my dumb thoughts with zero scientific evidence. Consider the opinion accordingly.
I think it’s tied to how overwhelmed everyone is at all times now. Part of it is often “thanks” is said while someone is beelining out the door, so you don’t often have an opportunity to even say “you’re welcome.” Further, “no problem” is far more indicative of “actually, you didn’t inconvenience me at all by getting my help” in a society where everyone is absolutely time-starved due to overwork/underpay. It’s saying to the person saying “thank you” that “it’s okay to have minorly inconvenienced me, it was worth doing anyway.”
Because yes, I am more likely to say “no problem” at this point than “you’re welcome” because most of the time I am dispensing technical information and advice that people usually have to pay to get. That’s the other aspect of it too, we’ve normalized that you have to pay to get anything decent (service or product) and so people offering technical skills and advice outside of a payment plan is definitely viewed differently.
“You’re welcome” is valid but just doesn’t play well in a fast-paced society where everyone expects to have to pay through the nose for decent help and generally doesn’t have the time to give out those kind of favors themselves.
in a society where everyone is absolutely time-starved due to overwork/underpay
“You’re welcome” can almost appear condescending or stuck up in those situations whereas “No problem” comes across as an attempt to be a little more genuine
It’s funny you say that because some older people see no problem as rude. Like I know it wasn’t a problem haha
that’s when you hit them with “okay, boomer”
I read somewhere a few years ago that the decline of “you’re welcome” is due to a shifting in definitions or whatever- “you’re welcome” has come to mean “you are always welcome to my free labor” whereas “no problem” says something more like “I don’t have an issue spending my time on you.”
I think to a lot of younger people, “You’re Welcome” is the thing one older person insisted you say when you absolutely do not actually mean it. So younger people have found something else to say when they actually do mean it.
Hey do you guys know what “you’re welcome” is in Spanish? “De Nada” which means “of nothing”. Sounds almost like, “no problem”.
This phrase isn’t new, either. It’s been around for centuries, just like the first instances of “you’re welcome”.
Most languages respond something like “it’s nothing”, de nada. English is a little weird saying “welcome”.
Well, in German we say “bitte” or “gern geschehen”, which is close to the “welcome”. Of course, people can and do also say “kein Problem”. I guess in my experience it depends on how I feel about the task and the person I did it for.
It varies regionally. While “you’re welcome” is not at all unusual in the UK, it’s nowhere near as expected and standard as it is in the US.
I often hear “not at all” as a response, just like “de nada”. It’s also common in the UK not to respond at all, as the thanks are expected.
Swedish says “varsågod” (literally something like “be so good”). Finnish developed social courtesies relatively late, and so translated the Swedish literally to “ole hyvä”. Russian on the other hand uses пожалуйста (pozhaluysta). Don’t know exactly where this last word came from, but nowadays it’s used the same way as “please” as in “please, no thanks needed”
Can I please (pozhaluysta) have this cake?
Yes, here you go.
Thank you!
Please (pozhaluysta)
It’s similar in Polish where you’re welcome (proszę bardzo) literally translates to “please very much”.
Thai/Lao is ไม่เป็นไร/ບໍ່ເປັນຫຍັງ translated as (implied subject “it”) + negation marker + copula + anything or “it’s nothing”
i usually hit 'em with the classic “of course” or “anytime” because you’re welcome feels too formal for most situations
“You’re welcome” is a silly colonial affectation. In British English you just shut up and smile.
Stiff upper lip and all that.
I don’t say it because you are, in fact, not welcome. I finish interactions with customers, even when they say thank you to me, by saying “thank you, have a nice day”, as my non fireable version of “I’ll thank you to kindly fuck off now.”
Damn it must suck to hate your customers
You say, as if that sentiment isn’t nearly universal.
