Do you ever feel like you don’t express your gratitude well enough? Or, when you do, some weird word salad enters into the conversation, making everyone feel somewhat uncomfortable? If so, here are a few extra phrases to put in your quiver when those uneven areas of a patchy communication need some smoothing out.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- How to Respond to ‘You’re Welcome’ to a Family Member or Close Friend
- How to Respond to ‘You’re Welcome’ to a Boss or Coworker
- Funny Ways to Respond to ‘You’re Welcome’
- How to Reply to a ‘You’re Welcome’ Text or DM
In the selections below, you find some ways to show gratitude and let your friends and family know how much they matter. You’ll discover quick and easy ways to sound like a pro-conversationalist without sounding awkward or unprofessional.
And, there are even some options to turn your gratitude into a smile or belly laugh.
How to Respond to ‘You’re Welcome’ to a Family Member or Close Friend
In this section, you’ll find that the responses are the opposite of redundant. Here are five ways to let your family or friend know how you feel about them. After all, why waste a moment of gratitude with them when life is so short.
1. "I can always count on you."
Hearing this is as much a treasure as saying it to someone. So, use it when someone goes out of the way for you, no matter what that means. After all, when family and friends make you feel supported, you know you can do anything.
2. "You're the best big brother, no matter what mom and dad say about you."
As you both get older, opportunities to channel sibling rivalry grow farther apart. So, you might want to take advantage of a good ribbing anytime it presents itself, especially as life gets crazier every day.
3. "There's a reason why we're friends."
Here's a saying for that friend in your life who feels like family. Use it anytime you see fit, especially when you're overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude.
4. "This is exactly what I wanted."
There's probably plenty of gift-giving opportunities to let friends and family know that they found the perfect gift. Plus, if you're like me, you put some thought into what you buy for others. So, if that's the case, wouldn't you love to hear this?
5. "I'm so glad you're my dad."
Dads are pretty special. So, when yours has unexpectedly shown up to help you out with a big project at your house, here's a way to reinforce just how much he means to you.
How to Respond to ‘You’re Welcome’ to a Boss or Coworker
Getting caught in a word loop has the most probability here. What's a word loop, you ask? It's when you get stuck saying empty words after a while, just trying to be polite in a professional situation. So, here are a few ways to learn what to say and how to use intonation to avoid awkwardness.
6. “Thank you.”
Try saying this out loud to yourself to get the right tone and intonation of “downspeak.” What’s that? It’s when you lower your pitch at the end of 'you.’ This way, you'll close the word loop so that the conversation can end gracefully.
Note: When you raise your pitch, you sound less confident.
7. “No, really. Thank you.”
It's uncomfortable when you feel like someone is glossing over your gratitude like it's arbitrary. So, when that happens, try this one out for size. Don't overthink it, though. Just continue to lower your pitch and use downspeak, similar to the previous response.
8. “I really appreciate it.”
Here’s one with no fuss. The word “appreciate” stands out as the echo of “thank you,” which does a great job of cementing your gratitude in a layer. It’ll work when your coworker lends a helping hand that either turns around your day or helps you to leave work on time.
9. “Thanks again for taking the time out of your day to answer my questions.”
Finding someone to help you improve your career or uncover a hidden fact can be a lifesaver! But, remember to watch your vocal fry here—that’s the crunchy or staticky sounding voice that appears when lacking confidence. You’ll want to avoid this as you may be their boss one day.
10. “This really means a lot to me.”
Use this sentence when you get something for which you’ve been working hard. Still, the tone always says more than the words themselves. So, you’ll be able to use these opportunities to build your speaking confidence one phrase of gratitude at a time.
Funny Ways to Respond to ‘You’re Welcome’
In the right situations, gratitude can turn funny in the most goodhearted way. Be on the lookout for little morsels where you can add some humor to both of your days.
11. “No, you’re welcome!”
If the tone is everything, then you’ve got one this nailed. It’s perfect for those moments when the seriousness goes out the window, and someone invites “glib” in to hang out for the day. With the right friend, it’s one of those things that can go on and on.
12. “You bet I am!”
This line is perfect if you were saying thank you to be polite, but only meant it half-heartedly. It’ll also work for the situation when you pulled most of the heavy lifting, and your partner-in-crime neglected even to offer you a ‘thank you.’
13. “No take backs!”
This saying is as ‘playground’ as they come. And there are rules, too! So, whether or not your friend eventually regrets agreeing to your little road trip or the midnight run across town, the gratitude has already been offered and accepted.
14. “Are you hitting on me?”
There are times when you should know your audience, and there are times when you need to know your audience. Because this might be just some spicy humor, it could come off like a lead balloon to the wrong audience. So, you might want to reserve it for people you’re dating or already married to.
15. “You break it, you buy it.”
If you’ve got some friends helping you move, then you’re so fortunate! It takes a strong friendship to get up early on a Saturday and commit to back-breaking work all day. So, here’s a dose of good humor that might help—along with some robust coffee.
How to Reply to a ‘You’re Welcome’ Text or DM
Because sending a text or DM is the least formal place to offer gratitude, you’ll have the most significant room for sharing your personality. Take a look at some of the options below and see if they fit inside your radar.
16. Send a Bitmoji
If you’ve put some time into your Bitmoji avatar, then you know how fun and sweet these can come across. There are hundreds of stickers that will capture your likeness with the perfect expression for most situations.
Reminder: consider your audience as some people find these a bit too sophomoric or don’t understand them at all.
17. “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” —Robin Williams
If you discover some thank you quotes from beautiful humans, add them to the end of your text or DM. If you put them in too soon, then the essence will get lost in the conversation, so use them at the end to give the recipient food for thought for the rest of the day.
18. Send a meme
If you haven’t yet, then now is the time to look into memes! There are so many cute ones out there that would make anyone smile. Similar to when using Bitmojis, you’ve got to consider your audience here as well.
19. “You’re my favorite.”
Do you have a secret language with your partner? If so, respond in a pet name after you read “you’re welcome.” It’s the most intimate way to thank someone for their support, particularly if no one else knows your language but you.
20. Use emojis to express your feelings
This option works for most situations, except for professional ones. But there are still some flip phones out there where a smiley face and a rainbow will not communicate well. If that’s the case, then stick to a simple thank you note.
21. Send your friends a quote that reminds you of them
Has your best friend been putting in overtime helping whenever and however you need it? If so, once you’ve offered your gratitude, find a “just because” message to make their day.
Giving and Receiving Support
No one needs to feel alone or embarrassed when they need assistance in life, so if you landed on this page without a real sound grasp at how to get help when you need it, then check out our article on how to ask for help.
After you’ve read through, you’ll be better prepared to give and receive gratitude.