You're welcome in Japanese
You're welcome in Japanese is どういたしまして (dō itashimashite). It is correct, but day to day people more often wave the thanks away with いえいえ (ie ie, no, no) or return it with こちらこそ (kochira koso, thank you too).
どういたしまして
- Romaji
- dō itashimashite
- Meaning
- you're welcome
Polite and casual
| Form | Who and when |
|---|---|
| どういたしましてdō itashimashitePolite | The textbook you're welcome. Fine anywhere, a little formal for something small. |
| いえいえie ieNeutral | No, no, not at all: the most common answer to thanks. |
| こちらこそkochira kosoPolite | Thank you too, when both sides gave something: after a meeting, a meal, a class. |
| いいよii yoCasual | No problem, to friends and family. |
| とんでもないですtondemo nai desuVery polite | Not at all, to a boss, a client or a customer. |
When to use it
いえいえ is the everyday answer. It plays the favor down, which is the modest thing to do in Japanese, often with a small wave of the hand.
こちらこそ fits when the other person did something for you too: a customer thanks the shop, a guest thanks the host, a student thanks the teacher at the end of a course, and the answer is こちらこそ、ありがとうございました.
When not to
どういたしまして for something tiny, like passing the salt, can sound stiff, as if the favor were big. いえいえ is lighter.
To a boss or a customer, どういたしまして can sound as if you are accepting a debt. とんでもないです is humbler.
Examples
いえいえ、大丈夫ですよ。
Reading: いえいえ、だいじょうぶですよ。
Romaji: ie ie, daijōbu desu yo.
No, no, it's fine.
どういたしまして。
Romaji: dō itashimashite.
You're welcome.
こちらこそ、ありがとうございました。
Romaji: kochira koso, arigatō gozaimashita.
Thank you, too.
いいよ、気にしないで。
Reading: いいよ、きにしないで。
Romaji: ii yo, ki ni shinaide.
No problem, don't worry about it.
bunka · culture
Japanese answers to thanks tend to play the favor down: and both say, in effect, it was nothing. Gifts follow the same balance: a gift received is often answered with a return gift, (okaeshi).
Common mistakes
- Answering every thank you with どういたしまして. It is correct but bookish; いえいえ sounds natural.
- Answering よろしくお願いします with どういたしまして. The answer is こちらこそ、よろしくお願いします.
- Answering ごちそうさまでした with どういたしまして. The host says お粗末さまでした (osomatsusama deshita), it was nothing special, or simply いえいえ.
Questions people ask
Say it out loud, with feedback
Knowing a phrase is not the same as saying it. In Naraio you practice phrases like these in short role plays with Hana, a tutor who listens, answers in natural Japanese and scores your pronunciation, and spaced reviews bring them back before they fade.