# Can "pas du tout" be used in the same way as "Pas de quoi" after being thanked in French? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 23, 2021, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075 "2021-10-23T17:17:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2acd7d/32.png) [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/1 "2021-10-23T17:17:05Z")
Can “pas du tout” be used in the same way as “Pas de quoi”? I’ve only ever heard it used once that way and have never seen it in print online. So I’m skeptical about using “pas du tout” that way. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/2 "2021-10-23T17:27:31Z")
I’ve only ever said de rien. I have a friend who is French, tho; if no one provides an answer I’ll ask her. ---
**Author:** ![FrenchDunadan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frenchdunadan/32/5449_2.png) [@FrenchDunadan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrenchDunadan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/3 "2021-10-23T19:07:29Z")
Non, absolutely not. When answering “pas de quoi” you’re basically saying " no need for thanking, that was not a big matter". Saying " pas du tout" will only confuse because it is used to say “you are wrong, that’s not the way it works”. ---
**Author:** ![Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2acd7d/32.png) [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/4 "2021-10-23T19:18:12Z")
Thanks for clearing that up FrenchDunadan. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/5 "2021-10-23T21:44:37Z")
> **[French Expression of the Day: Il n'y a pas de quoi](https://www.thelocal.fr/20190228/french-expression-of-the-day-il-ny-a-pas-de-quoi/)** > > We’re glad that you’re thankful for The Local’s Expression of the Day, but really, "il n’y a pas de quoi!" > “_Il n’y a pas de quoi_ can be translated most directly as ‘there’s no reason to–” Some nice examples of usage at the link. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/6 "2021-10-24T03:36:10Z")
Multiple languages, including French, Spanish, and English, have expressions suggesting that the favor being thanked was unworthy of it – English has “it was nothing” or “not at all!”, Spanish has “de nada”. They all seem to say “Why are you thanking me for that?” TBH, I think it’s a but rude. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/7 "2021-10-24T14:21:20Z")
Everyone under the age of 30 who I text (in English) with, uses **NP**. I remember initially thinking it a typo before realizing it means “no problem”. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/8 "2021-10-25T00:04:30Z")
“_Pas du tout_” would be a direct translation of “Not at all”, then, but I’ve never heard it. I’d find it a bit harsh. One expression I often hear being used in “formal” French (newscasts, etc.) as a reply to “_Merci_” is “_Je vous en prie_” (literally, “I’m begging you to”). [This page](https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/de-rien-je-vous-en-prie.266675/) suggests the implied phrase is “I’m begging you to not mention it”. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/9 "2021-10-25T10:27:58Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > They all seem to say “Why are you thanking me for that?” TBH, I think it’s a but rude. Then you are completely misreading the meaning, which is actually an excess of politeness ‘Honestly, there’s no need to so graciously thank me, when it was no trouble for me and I am glad to help and would gladly do so again, but thank you for thanking me’. It is a way of acknowledging thanks, but with modesty. As opposed to ‘Yeah, well you f-in should be grateful’. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2021, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/10 "2021-10-26T09:08:33Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Then you are completely misreading the meaning, Agreed. Indonesian has a similar phrase (_tidak apa-apa_, or informal variations such as _tak apa-apa_ or _ndak apa-apa_) and the implication is that the effort expended was trivial in comparison to the value placed on the relationship. It’s an extremely polite, modest response to being thanked for something. Paging @Pardel-Lux - if I recall correctly, they are a qualified linguist/translator among several European languages, and may have some valuable input. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2021, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pas-du-tout-be-used-in-the-same-way-as-pas-de-quoi-after-being-thanked-in-french/953075/11 "2021-10-26T10:05:11Z")
**FrenchDunadan** has already given the right answer in #2. Both expressions can be translated superficially as “not at all”, but one means “no, there is nothing at all to thank me for” (pas de quoi), the other means “no, this is not at all the way to do it” (pas du tout).