どういたしまして
どういたしまして
hepburn douitashimashite
you're welcome
Part of speech · expression
Pattern visualization
no decomposition available
Examples
- ありがとうございました。— どういたしまして。Thank you. — You're welcome.
- ご親切に。 — どういたしまして。How kind of you. — Not at all.
Collocations
どういたしまして (douitashimashite, "you're welcome")いえいえ (ieie, "not at all" — casual)こちらこそ (kochira koso, "the pleasure is mine")とんでもないです (tondemo nai desu, "not at all" — humble)お役に立てて (oyaku ni tatete, "glad I could help")
Mnemonic
どういたしまして douitashimashite — etymology: どう (how) + 致す (itasu, humble "to do") + まして (polite) = "How could I have done [anything to deserve thanks]?" Surface meaning: a polite denial of the value of one's action. Trap: rarely used in casual speech — sounds stiff and overly formal. Native speakers prefer いえいえ, とんでもない, 全然, お役に立てて良かった for everyday "you're welcome". Foreign learners who map "you're welcome = どういたしまして" 1:1 sound awkward. The register intensity must match the thanks: light thanks → light reply.
Quick check
Most natural reply when a friend says "arigatou"?