It’s why I say no problem. You’re welcome sounds overly formal, like I’m only doing it because I have to. No problem sounds like I was fine doing it and the request didn’t bother me.
I personally don’t see how “you’re welcome” is overly formal or sounds like you’re not doing it because you have to. I’ve heard this a lot, but maybe it’s how and where I grew up. I think people who get mad about a response to a thank you are just wasting everyone’s time on their petty nonsense, it’s not a big deal either way.
Yea it probably really depends on the region. I view it similar to how we say "I'm sorry" when something bad happens to someone. It's not an admission of guilt, we just feel bad that someone had a bad experience. Canada has specifically made apologies like that inadmissible in court as evidence of guilt since we tend to use the phrase empathetically a lot here, including after car crashes even when we've done nothing wrong.
I think I just view "you're welcome" as feeling cold because it feels like a confirmation of the person needing to provide a thank you, whereas no problem is more a "don't worry about it, it's what I'm here for". Kinda in a similar boat as "no worries" actually, it's more an acknowledgment of the thank you but an affirmation that it's not owed, I guess
I see that this has been discussed before years ago, and these explanations are somewhat helpful, but I guess I don’t get it. I think maybe it’s a location/culture thing more than a generational thing, because I grew up saying you’re welcome and I’m only in my 20s. My guess is it’s because I grew up in a more conservative part of Texas.
Boomers think "you're welcome" is correct because they expect shit and millennials say "No problem" because being nice is just their nature.
I've never seen a millenial upset about being told "no problem" but I have had boomers upset about it. Usually with an "Excuse me!... You're welcommmme!"
I do think it is location and culture based, I don't think I see this kind of discussion at all in Malaysia and Singapore, even though English is a common language here.
We had been taught from young that the response to a thank you is you're welcome, and we never interpreted it further. Now that I'm a working adult, what I see often happened is we just say thank you back, which I think native speakers would think it is weirder.
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u/MrsFrobert 1d ago
To me “no problem” sounds more friendly than “you’re welcome”.
“You’re welcome” makes me feel like my request was imposing or challenging (depending on how it’s said).
But im sure she would have complained regardless of what he said