How to Say You’re Welcome in Sign Language

A few years ago I was in a noisy café in Lisbon when anunless Portuguese man accidentally knocked my coffee off the table. As the cup shattered, he looked mortified. I smiled, waved my hand lightly and said “It’s okay.”

He placed his right hand flat on his chest, made a gentle circular motion, and bowed his head slightly. In that instant, without a single spoken word, he told me “You’re welcome” in Portuguese Sign Language (LGP). I felt the warmth travel across the language barrier like sunlight.

That small circle over the heart is nearly identical in American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL), French Sign Language (LSF), Japanese Sign Language, and dozens more.

Quick Reference Table:

Language	Phrase	Literal Meaning / Cultural Note
English (ASL sign)	(flat hand circles chest)	Same motion used in 70+ sign languages worldwide – a rare global sign
French	De rien	“Of nothing” – downplaying the favor, typical French modesty
Spanish	De nada	“Of nothing” – almost identical to French, emphasizing no burden
Italian	Prego	“I pray (you)” or “please, go ahead” – originally an invitation to enter or continue
German	Bitte schön / Gerne geschehen	“Please beautifully” / “Happily happened” – formal beauty or genuine joy
Portuguese	De nada / Não tem de quê	“Of nothing” / “There’s no reason to thank”
Dutch	Geen dank / Alsjeblieft	“No thanks necessary” / “If you please”
Russian	Пожалуйста (Pozhaluysta)	Same word as “please” – giving and receiving are two sides of one coin
Arabic	عفواً (ʿAfwan) / العفو (Al-ʿAfū)	“Pardon” or “I pardon” – rooted in mercy and forgiveness
Hebrew	על לא דבר (Al lo davar) / בבקשה (Bevakasha)	“On no thing” / same word as “please” – like Russian
Mandarin Chinese	不用谢 (Bú yòng xiè) / 不客气 (Bú kèqì)	“No need to thank” / “Don’t be polite” – rejecting excessive courtesy
Japanese	どういたしまして (Dō itashimashite)	“How about it? I’ve only done what is expected.” Extreme humility
Korean	천만에요 (Cheonmaneyo)	Literally “in ten million (it’s nothing)” – hyperbolic understatement
Hindi	कोई बात नहीं (Koi baat nahi)	“No issue / It’s not a thing” – casual, warm dismissal
Swahili	Karibu (also means “welcome”)	Same word for physical welcome and response to thanks – hospitality is one concept
Thai	ไมเป็นไร (Mai pen rai)	“It’s nothing / Never mind” – the famous Thai philosophy of easygoing life
Turkish	Rica ederim	“I beg (of you)” – the thanker is the one begging, reversing roles
Greek	Παρακαλώ (Parakaló)	Same word as “please” – symmetry again
Hawaiian	He mea iki	“It’s a small thing” – reflects the spirit of aloha and communal ease
Māori	Kāore he mea	Literally “It was nothing” – deep cultural value on manaakitanga (generous hospitality)

European Languages :

In most European languages, “you’re welcome” downplays the favor: de rien, de nada, geen dank – all variations of “it was nothing.” This reflects a cultural desire not to make the recipient feel indebted. In Italy, however, prego began as an ecclesiastical invitation (“I pray you enter”) and still carries a theatrical flourish – you’ll hear waiters sing it like an aria. Germans offer two registers: the formal Bitte schön (literally “please beautifully”) for strangers and the heartfelt Gerne geschehen (“it happened gladly”) among friends.

Asian Languages :

Asia takes understatement to poetic extremes. The Japanese dō itashimashite is so self-effacing that younger people now prefer the loanword okkei or just “いやいや” (no-no). Koreans say “ten million thanks aren’t necessary.” In Mandarin, telling someone bú kèqì (“don’t be polite”) is actually a friendly way of saying the social ritual of thanking is complete – now relax.

African Languages :

Across dozens of African languages, the response to “thank you” is often the same word used to welcome a guest into your home. Swahili karibu, Amharic enkwan dehna metakom, Yoruba ọ̀rẹ́ ẹ ṣé, Zulu Kulungile – all blur the line between receiving gratitude and receiving a person. In many African worldviews, giving and receiving are circular; the phrase reminds both parties that the circle continues.

Indigenous & Island Languages

• Māori (New Zealand):Kāore he mea – “It was nothing of significance,” but paired with the cultural practice of utu (reciprocity) that keeps balance in the community.
• Hawaiian:He mea iki – “A small thing,” reflecting the aloha value that helping is as natural as breathing.
• Cherokee: The phrase ᏩᏙ (Wado) means both thank you and you’re welcome depending on context – language mirrors the belief that gratitude flows both directions.
• Navajo (Diné):Ahéheeʼ serves both purposes; the concept of hózhó (beauty, balance, harmony) means that helping restores universal order.

Cultural Insights & Historical Evolution

The oldest recorded “you’re welcome” equivalent appears in Akkadian cuneiform (circa 1800 BCE): the phrase ana damiqti – literally “for the good (deed),” acknowledging the favor while releasing obligation. In medieval Europe, knights responded with Je vous en prie (“I pray you of it”) – the root of Italian prego and English “I pray thee” (prayer and politeness were once the same).

In religious contexts:

• Arabic ʿafwan comes from the same root as the 99 Names of God (Al-ʿAfūw, The Pardoner).
• Sanskrit-derived languages once used su-svāgatam (well-come), showing hospitality and gratitude were inseparable.

Proverbs & Sayings About Receiving Thanks

• Japan: 「恩を着せるな」 (On o kiseru na) – “Don’t make someone wear the favor” (don’t burden them with debt).
• Turkey: “Bir elin sesi çıkmaz” – “One hand doesn’t make a sound” (it takes two to give and receive).
• West Africa (Akan): “One hand washes the other.”
• Russia: “Долг платежом красен” – “A debt is beautiful by its repayment” (but the gracious receiver makes it beautiful too).
• Hawaii: “A’ohe lokomaika’i i nele i ke pâna’i” – “No kind deed has ever lacked its reward” (said with a smile instead of “you’re welcome”).

FAQs

Why do so many languages use the same word for “please” and “you’re welcome”?

Because in symmetrical politeness cultures (Russian, Greek, Hebrew, etc.), giving and receiving are mirror images of the same respectful act.

Akkadian ana damiqti from the Amarna letters (14th century BCE).

Why is the sign for “you’re welcome” almost identical worldwide?

Deaf communities independently chose a gesture that originates at the heart and moves outward – a universal embodiment of “my pleasure, from the heart.”

Are there cultures where you never say “you’re welcome”?

Yes – in some Inuit and Aboriginal Australian communities, explicitly acknowledging thanks can feel like closing the relationship. Silence and a smile complete the circle.

Wherever you travel, whether you circle your hand over your heart in silence or whisper mai pen rai under tropical rain, the message is the same:

Conclusion :

Learning how to say “You’re Welcome” in sign language across different Asian languages builds confidence, improves communication, and deepens cultural understanding. Whether you’re exploring ASL, JSL, ISL, or PSL, each version carries the same message of respect and politeness.

By practicing these simple signs, you’re not just learning a phrase—you’re building meaningful connections with the Deaf community. Keep exploring more sign language guides, and step by step, you’ll become more fluent and confident in your interactions.

---