What’s the right response when someone thanks you in an email exchange? Should you reply with “you’re welcome” or is it unnecessary to reply at all?
In this article, we’ll answer that question. Moreover, we’ll provide a list of synonyms for “you’re welcome” that you can use if the original phrase starts to feel worn out.
Other Ways to Say “You’re Welcome”
- It’s a pleasure
- Anytime
- Such a pleasure
- My pleasure
- It’s nothing
- Forget about it
- No worries
- No problem
- Sure thing
- Don’t mention it
- Happy to do it
- You’re very welcome
- That’s okay
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- As a general rule, it never hurts to politely reply with “you’re welcome” after someone expresses thanks in an email.
- In formal circumstances, you can mix up your language with the phrase “it’s a pleasure.”
- In informal settings, you can say “anytime.”
Keep reading to see how we use our choice of formal and informal synonyms for “you’re welcome” in a couple of email examples.
Thereafter, we’ll discuss whether you should bother to reply with “you’re welcome” in an email. Should you even respond at all?
It’s a Pleasure (Formal)
If you’re looking for a formal way to say “you’re welcome,” our top choice is “it’s a pleasure.” This synonym is a good example of how to say “you’re welcome” in a professional email.
Firstly, this synonym is a very polite response to someone saying thanks. It suggests that it was a pleasure to help them, which is a kind sentiment!
Secondly, “it’s a pleasure” is not a better phrase than “you’re welcome.” However, you can use this alternative reply to diversify your correspondence and avoid repetition.
Finally, let’s see an email sample making use of this phrase. You can assume that this email is a response to a “thank you” email:
Dear Joshua,
It’s a pleasure, and I hope the rest of the conference is a great success.
Kind regards,
Patricia
Anytime (Informal)
In informal settings, you can get away with a more casual synonym for “you’re welcome.” Our favorite pick is the phrase “anytime.”
Firstly, this alternative is polite and friendly. This makes it great for conversations where someone is expressing thanks for a favor, for instance.
There are some more fun ways to say “you’re welcome” in casual settings. However, you can use this synonym at work too. For example, you can reply “anytime” to a colleague who thanks you, especially if you have a friendly dynamic in the office.
That being said, it is still informal, so it’s not a good example of how to say “you’re welcome” to your boss or a client.
Finally, let’s see an example email making use of this phrase. Once again, you can assume this email is replying to another one:
Hi Reabetswe,
Anytime! I’m always happy to help out the new recruits.
Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any other concerns.
All the best,
Kirk
Should You Reply “You’re Welcome” in an Email?
Whether you should reply “you’re welcome” in an email exchange depends greatly on context.
For example, you may be wondering how to write “you’re welcome” in an email. Firstly, “you’re welcome” is short for “you are welcome.” Thus, it is a complete sentence and a grammatically correct phrase. But does this mean you should always use it?
On the one hand, it is polite to say “you’re welcome” after someone has expressed thanks. You can use this phrase formally in professional situations, for example. It might come across as rude in some circumstances not to reply.
However, in the fast-paced business world, you may not want to fill up someone’s inbox with unnecessary niceties! In some situations, it may not be necessary to reply at all.
Essentially, you should do what feels right to you in the circumstances. A good general rule is rather too much than too little. Even if an additional email is a minor annoyance to some people, other people will appreciate the polite response.
In short, there’s no hard and fast rule, so you can base your decision on what you know about the receiver of the email.
Finally, “you’re welcome” is an effective phrase to use both in formal and informal settings. However, you can use our list of synonyms to change your phrasing here and there as you please.
Thus, feel free to bookmark this page to keep our list on hand!