No Worries: How to Say “No Problem” in Spanish
Let’s learn how to say “no problem” in Spanish!
Although naturally, all those who learn Spanish use the translation “no problemo” this is an incorrect expression.
That phrase is a clear example of the common misconception that to speak Spanish, you only have to add an “o” at the end of a word.
People are generally used to using the phrase “no problem” in many situations.
It could be because someone bumped into you on the street with no intention of bothering you, you had a mix-up with your food order, or you just want to help someone who asks you for a favor.
This phrase will help make your conversations friendlier and more fluid as it transmits serenity and peace toward the person asking you for help.
And as you will discover, there are many ways to say “no problem” in Spanish.
So don’t worry! In this article, you will learn how to say “no problem” correctly in Spanish and some other similar phrases.
Let’s get started!
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Different Ways to Say “’No Problem”’ in Spanish
1. No hay problema
Let’s start with the most basic phrase: No hay problema. This is the simplest way to say “no problem” in Spanish.
Be careful not to use the phrase “No problema“. This does not exist in Spanish and is grammatically incorrect since all negative phrases must have a verb.
That is why the word “hay” is used. It comes from the verb haber, which translates as “there is” or “there are.”
If we literally translate no hay problema into English, it would be “there is no problem.”
Because it is a standard phrase, you can use it in formal and informal contexts to tell people that you are okay with a situation or to respond to the favors you do.
For example:
Imagine you’re in a restaurant, and the waiter mixed your order with that of another client so you ask the waiter to solve it for you:
- Mesero, la comida que pedí no es la correcta.
- Disculpe la equivocación. Ahora mismo se la cambio.
- No hay problema. Muchas gracias.
- Waiter, the food I ordered is incorrect.
- I’m sorry for the mistake. I’ll change it right now.
- No problem. Thank you so much.
2. No pasa nada
In Spanish, the phrase no pasa nada is a way of transmitting tranquility. When translated into English means something like “no worries,” “it’s okay,” or literally, “nothing happens.”
The phrase “no pasa nada” shows that everything is handled carefully or with experience, so there is no need to worry; everything will work out.
You can also use it when someone is apologizing or thanking you for something, and you want to let them know everything is okay.
These are some examples:
- ¡Hola Sarah! Disculpa por llamarte tan tarde, pero necesito un favor.
- Hello Sarah! Sorry for calling you so late, but I need a favor.
- No pasa nada. Dime qué necesitas.
- No worries. Tell me what you need.
- Hay mucho tráfico y no sé si llegaremos a tiempo a la cita.
- There’s a lot of traffic and I don’t know if we’ll make it to the appointment.
- No pasa nada, ya he llamado para avisar que llegaremos tarde.
- It’s okay; I’ve already called to tell them we’ll be late.
3. A la orden
This phrase translated into English literally means “At your order,” but when used in everyday conversation, it means a different thing.
It is a colloquial way of saying, “You’re welcome.” The majority of people who use it are adults. It is very unlikely to hear it in children or adolescents.
A la orden is more used in the Central American region, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela.
When someone says thank you, then you respond a la orden.
Here are a few examples:
- Gracias por ayudarme con la mudanza. Sin ti hubiera sido más tardado.
- Thanks for helping me with the move. Without you it would have been later.
- A la orden. Si necesitas más ayuda sabes que puedes llamarme.
- You’re welcome. If you need more help, you know you can call me.
- No sabía mucho de la salud mental, pero su conferencia me dio mucha claridad para hablarlo en casa.
- I didn’t know much about mental health, but his lecture gave me a lot of clarity to talk about at home.
- A la orden, señora. Puede contactarme a mi correo si desea profundizar en algún tema específico.
- Of course, ma’am. You can contact me at my email if you want to delve into a specific topic.
We recommend: How to ask for help in Spanish: A Conversation Guide
4. No importa
No importa is the translation of “never mind” in Spanish. It can also be equivalent to “It doesn’t matter,” “It’s okay,” or “Don’t worry.”
This phrase intends to show that what is happening is not a problem for you.
Remember that, like all the phrases in this article, you must know how to say them and in the correct tone.
In the case of no importa, using it with a serious tone and face can sound like a rude response. On the other hand, if you use it in a friendly tone and smile, the other person will receive it happily.
Here are some examples:
- Lo siento mucho. Se me olvidó el paraguas en la oficina.
- I’m so sorry. I left the umbrella at the office.
- No importa. Compraremos uno en la próxima tienda.
- Never mind. We’ll buy one at the next store.
- No sabía que el reporte era para hoy y aún no lo he terminado.
- I didn’t know the report was due today and I haven’t finished it yet.
- No importa. Puedes entregarlo el próximo miércoles.
- It doesn’t matter. You can turn it in next Wednesday.
5. Tranquilo
This word is known as an adjective to describe people, places, or things since the translation is “quiet” or “calm.”
However, you can also use this word as a “no worries” or “no problem” when someone might feel uncomfortable or embarrassed to ask you for a favor.
In Spanish, you also use the word tranquilo to ask the person to calm down if they are stressed, worried, or anxious about something happening.
Remember to be aware that it matches the gender of the person you’re talking to.
Here are some examples:
- La batería de mi celular se acabó y no puedo llamar a mis papás.
- My cell phone battery died and I can’t call my parents.
- Tranquilo. Puedes usar el mío.
- Don’t worry. You can use mine.
- Me da pena pedirte este favor pero, ¿podrías llevarme al doctor y luego regresarme a mi casa?
- I’m sorry to ask you for this favor, but could you take me to the doctor and then return me to my house?
- Sí, por supuesto, tranquila.
- Yes, of course, no worries.
6. No te preocupes/No se preocupe
No te preocupes is the translation of “no worries” in Spanish. But it can also be used when you want to say, “No problem” or “Don’t sweat it.”
Spanish speakers use this phrase to downplay what they have done for others.
You should keep in mind that no te preocupes is used in informal conversations. If you want to apply it to more formal interactions, you have to say no se preocupe.
These are some examples:
- Señor, no encuentro la clínica #45. ¿Podría ayudarme?
- Sir, I can’t find clinic #45. Could you help me?
- No se preocupe. La clínica se encuentra en el tercer nivel al lado derecho.
- Don’t worry. The clinic is located on the third level on the right side.
- Ana, ¡se me olvidó traerte tu almuerzo!
- Ana, I forgot to bring your lunch!
- No te preocupes. Tengo dinero para comprar algo en la cafetería.
- No worries. I have money to buy something at the cafeteria.
Read also: 55 False Cognates in Spanish That Will Kill Your Conversation
7. Está bien
This is another of the phrases used a lot in conversations in Spanish. Está bien is the translation of “it’s okay” in Spanish.
You can use it when you want to express that you agree or that you accept a situation. In other circumstances, it can also be used to describe the state in which a place or a person is.
To make the interaction feel more polite, you can add a “don’t worry” afterward, and the tone will be more pleasant and not so rude.
Some examples are:
- ¡Perdona! Te cerré la puerta de la casa sin querer.
- I’m sorry! I accidentally closed the door of the house.
- Está bien, no te preocupes.
- It’s okay, don’t worry.
- No pude encontrar en el super el cereal que me pediste.
- I couldn’t find the cereal you asked for in the supermarket.
- Está bien. Lo buscaré otro día.
- It’s okay. I’ll look for it another day.
8. No hay de qué/No hay porqué
This phrase, no hay de qué or no hay por qué, means “there’s no reason to thank me,” or “there’s nothing to thank me for.”
It is another alternative you can use instead of “no problem,” making you sound more formal when interacting with people who thank you.
Currently, few adults use it since it was commonly used by the elderly across Latin America in the 80s.
Here are some examples:
- Gracias por el pastel que trajiste a la cena. Fue muy generoso de tu parte.
- Thanks for the cake you brought to dinner. That was very generous of you.
- No hay por qué. Me gusta cocinar postres.
- No problem. I like to make desserts.
- Melissa gracias por hacer las compras para la fiesta de la oficina.
- Melissa, thanks for shopping for the office party.
- No hay de que. Es un gusto poder ayudar.
- It’s okay. It’s a pleasure to help.
Tips on Pronunciation and Intonation
One advice we can give you is to pay attention to the people with whom you are interacting to know if you can use the formal or informal phrases we introduced here.
This way, you’ll know if you must use “no hay de qué” or something simpler, like “no pasa nada.” If you’re unsure, just use no hay problema.
Use as many as you can, especially with a native Spanish speaker. This way, this person can correct you. They can let you know if what you’re saying is too formal or informal.
More than paying attention to your accent, you should take care of each sentence’s accents and diction.
Little by little, how you pronounce the words will help you speak more fluently, so your accent will become more neutral.
See also: Qué Tal vs Cómo Estás: What’s the Difference?
No Hay Problema, Keep Learning Spanish!
Now that you have some phrases that you can use to say “no problem,” you can keep practicing to make your conversations more fluent.
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