The best words to say "You're Welcome"

Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you want to say “thank you,” but don't know how to express your gratitude?

Whether you're thankful for good fortune, a kind gesture, or just want to say “thank you” to show your appreciation, you'll often struggle to find the appropriate words. 

Thoughts turn to phrases like “thank you so much,” “you're very welcome,” and my personal favorite, “no problem.”

These phrases might feel right at home in an English-speaking country, but they don't quite fit the scenario you're in. 

You wouldn't say “thank you so much” to your hairstylist, and you wouldn't say “no problem” to a hotel employee helping you with your bags. 

So what do you say to someone who has done you a favor? How about, “Hey, thanks for helping out. It's no problem.”

While you might think this is an appropriate response in a pinch, it definitely is not. 

When someone does you a favor, the correct response is “You're welcome.” Or, if you prefer, “You're more than welcome.”

Why the difference? It's a question of respect. When you say “Thank you,” it implies that the person you're speaking to owes you something. 

But when you say “You're welcome,” it implies that the person you're speaking to is not just doing you a favor, but is in some way indebted to you. 

Say you decide to visit Chicago, but didn't want to stay at a traditional hotel. 

You might look into renting a luxury mansion with several bedrooms and several bathrooms. 

Though the prices seem a little steep, it might be worth it. 

While you're there, you might decide you want to eat at a specific restaurant. 

You look online and find out it's been rated the best burger in the city. You contact the restaurant and make a reservation.

While you're waiting for your food, you look at the menu and see an option for chicken tenders. You decide you've had enough of burgers for one meal, so you opt for the chicken tenders instead.

As you're eating your delicious chicken tenders, you feel happy that you decided to go for the healthier options. You're also appreciative that the restaurant went the extra mile to satisfy your request. 

When you say “You're welcome,” it implies that the person you're speaking to doesn't deserve thanks. Saying “you're welcome” might make you feel uncomfortable, because you're not sure whether or not you're supposed to feel thankful.

If you really want to show how thankful you are for something, you say “You're more than welcome,” as in, “You're welcome to stay. You're welcome to eat. You're welcome to accept this gift. You're welcome to accept that favor.”

This might be difficult to do if you don't believe that the person you're speaking to understands the significance of what they've done for you. If you show your appreciation for someone by saying “You're welcome,” you could come off sounding like you're being sarcastic or mocking them. So if that's the case, it's better to say “You're more than welcome.”

Think about the people you interact with on a daily basis. Maybe you have a colleague that helps you get your work done. Every time they finish a project for you, you say “thank you” and “You're welcome” a lot. 

You might not even know how to properly react to a situation where someone helps you out. But with a little bit of practice, you'll be saying “You're welcome” confidently and correctly, every time.