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Pas de souci or pas de problème: three ways to use “no problem”

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Use pas de souci and pas de problème after requests, apologies and thanks. Practise six short exchanges and add a clear time condition when needed.

In short

Pas de souci and pas de problème both mean “no problem”. Use either to accept a small request, reassure someone after an apology or reply to thanks. The sentence before it tells you which job the phrase is doing.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A helpful colleague agreeing to a small request while closing a plain notebook.
An easy acceptance can be pas de souci. Illustration: Atelier
1

Accept a request

Both replies say that the requested action is fine.

Your conversation partnerTu peux répéter la dernière phrase ?Can you repeat the last sentence?
YouPas de problème. Je reprends depuis le début.No problem. I’ll start again from the beginning.
Your conversation partnerOn peut commencer cinq minutes plus tard ?Can we start five minutes later?
YouPas de souci, je suis disponible.No problem, I’m available.
2

Reassure after a small apology

A reason makes the reassurance especially clear.

Your conversation partnerDésolée pour le petit retard.Sorry I’m a little late.
YouPas de problème, on n’a pas encore commencé.No problem, we haven’t started yet.
Your conversation partnerPardon, j’ai mal écrit ton prénom.Sorry, I spelt your first name wrong.
YouPas de souci, je le corrige.No problem, I’ll correct it.
3

Reply to thanks

These relaxed replies acknowledge the help you gave.

Your conversation partnerMerci pour ton aide !Thanks for your help!
YouPas de souci !No problem!
Your conversation partnerMerci d’avoir répondu si vite.Thank you for replying so quickly.
YouPas de problème, avec plaisir.No problem, happy to help.

What is the difference between pas de souci and pas de problème?

Un appel un peu plus tard
  1. Zoé

    Tu peux m’appeler cet après-midi ?

    Can you call me this afternoon?

  2. Hugo

    Pas de souci, mais après quinze heures.

    No problem, but after three.

  3. Zoé

    D’accord, vers quinze heures trente ?

    All right, around half past three?

  4. Hugo

    Oui, c’est parfait.

    Yes, that’s perfect.

Hugo is happy to call, and gives a time. Pas de souci accepts the request; mais après quinze heures tells Zoé when he is free. You can also say Pas de problème, mais après quinze heures.

Build the phrase as a whole
FrenchMeaning
un soucia worry or concern
un problèmea problem
pas de soucino problem; no worries
pas de problèmeno problem

Keep de in both expressions and the grave accent in problème. The models here use singular souci. For a simple reply to merci, you can also use de rien or avec plaisir; in a more careful exchange, je vous en prie is useful.

Question 1No account needed
What does the reply do?— Tu peux répéter ? — Pas de problème.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Accepts the request to repeat.. The preceding question asks for repetition, so the reply accepts that request.

Question 2No account needed
When is Hugo available to call?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

After three.. His reply includes mais après quinze heures, which gives the time limit.

Question 3No account needed
Complete the phrase.Pas ___ problème !

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

de. The expression is pas de problème, with de before the singular noun.

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