How to respond to “Thank you”
When someone says “Thank you,” we usually respond with something like “You’re welcome” or “No problem.”.
English loves shortcuts and this expression is no exception. “You are welcome” is often shortened to “You’re welcome.” In this case, “you’re” is the contraction of “you are.”
Is “Your Welcome” Correct?
No, “your welcome” is not correct when responding to someone thanking us. “Your” is a possessive adjective, used to show ownership, like “your book” or “your car.” So, “your welcome” would mean “your [thing] welcome,” which doesn’t make sense when thanking someone.
For example:
— You’re welcome! – No problem!
This means your speech to welcome someone was moving.
How to Tell the Difference Between “You’re” and “Your”
“You’re” and “your” are homophones, meaning they sound the same. Without seeing the words written down, it can be tricky to tell which one the speaker is using. Even native speakers often confuse “your” with “you’re”!
Here’s how you can figure out which one is correct: simply replace “you’re” with “you are” in the sentence. If the sentence still makes sense, you know it’s the contraction “you’re.” If it doesn’t, then it’s the possessive adjective “your.”
For example:
This doesn’t make sense, so it’s “your” – showing possession.
This makes sense, so it’s “you’re” – the contraction for “you are.”