The level of gratitude increases through the progression. So when the response is "no", it's the "thank you" that gets the "you're welcome."Ĭonsider this progression given by chasly from UK to a related question: It can even be used in combination, like "You're welcome, it's my pleasure" to cover both the act of giving and response to "thank you". "You're welcome" could refer to the act of giving, perhaps in the sense of "you're welcome to have it", another reason why it may seem like a non-sequitur when the offer is declined.īut "you're welcome" can also simply be a polite response to "thank you". If something was offered and accepted with a "thank you", a response like "it's my pleasure" or "think nothing of it" would generally refer to the act of giving.
There are a number of expressions commonly used as a polite response to this exchange. The "no" is the response, and the "thank you" is short for "but thank you for asking." The expression may make more sense if there was a comma or period after the "no". That may be one reason why "You're welcome" sounds like a non-sequitur why say "you're welcome" if there was no "thank you". People often say "No thank you" with the emphasis on "thank", so that it sounds like the "no" negates the "thank you". I'll try to provide some logic, but I'll focus my answer on explaining why it sounds odd. Part of the confusion may be people saying it automatically in situations where it can turn out to seem odd. Whether the literal meaning is right or wrong, or what is the "correct" thing for people to say, this is commonly what is actually said. These are nearly automated responses that people say, and it sounds odd in this situation, which is what triggered the question. I think the real answer is that it isn't a question of grammar or meaning the "thank you/you're welcome" exchange verges on idiom.