Slang
No worries
By EasySay. Published . Updated .
No worries is a reply to thank you or sorry in Australia.
It means it is fine, do not worry, or yes, I can do that. It is short and easy to say in a shop, at work or at home. Do not say it when someone tells you about a serious problem.
Written for EasySay, in our own words.
In short
- CarefulSafe with anyone, at work and in a shop.
- ElsewhereUK: no problem, that's fine.
Safe to say
Meaning: It is fine; do not worry about it.
How do people say it?
'Sorry I'm late.' 'No worries.'
- At work:
'Can you send it today?' 'No worries, I'll do it now.'
What should I know?
- Who can say it
- Safe with anyone, at work and in a shop. Do not say it when someone tells you about a serious problem.
- Where you hear it
- Australia
- Elsewhere you might say
- UK: no problem, that's fine. US: no problem, you're welcome.
The phrase does three jobs. After thank you it means you are welcome. After sorry it means that is all right.
After a request it means yes, I will do it, often with no fuss. All three are short and warm.
What it does not mean is that nothing matters. A person who says no worries about a missed deadline may still expect you to fix it.
Anyone can say it. A waiter says it when you thank them.
A manager says it when you ask for a day off and the answer is yes. A friend says it when you arrive late.
The one time to avoid it is when somebody shares bad news, such as an accident or a loss. There, I'm sorry to hear that sounds kinder than a cheerful no worries.
At a cafe: I'm sorry, I ordered the wrong coffee. No worries, I'll make another.
At work: could you send the file by three? No worries. At a friend's door: sorry we're ten minutes late.
No worries, come in. Each time the speaker is easing the moment, not making a promise about anything big, and the listener can relax.
Other English speakers have close cousins. Other replies with the same job are no problem, that's all right and you're welcome.
The Australian version is especially common in speech, and you also see it in messages and on shop signs. A longer form, no worries at all, adds extra warmth. She'll be right and no dramas are neighbours in meaning, but they are used a little differently.
What else can I say?
Questions people ask
Does no worries mean you're welcome?
Often, yes. After thank you, no worries means you are welcome. After sorry it means that is all right, and after a request it means yes, I can do that.
Is no worries too casual for work?
No. It is safe at work and with customers. Skip it only when someone tells you bad news, where a plain I'm sorry to hear that is kinder.
How is no worries different from no problem?
They mean nearly the same. No worries is warmer and more common in Australian speech, and it is often a full reply on its own.
Sources and dates
- EasySay's own writing for the Australian slang hub, EasySay. Licence: original writing for EasySay. Checked .
Cite this page
EasySay. "No worries". https://easysay.org/slang/australian/no-worries. Last updated 23 October 2026.
https://easysay.org/slang/australian/no-worries