It would be hard to say precisely when the answer “No problem” first entered the public vernacular, but its use (or more accurately, abuse) has been a point of contention among etiquette and grammar experts for decades. . Some have no problem with a “no problem” response during a casual exchange, while others believe it’s too casual to be an acceptable response to a polite “thank you.”
The reason many people prefer “no problem” to more formal answers may be a matter of habit and age. Older people tend to respond to an expression of thanks with more traditional phrases such as “you’re welcome” or “my pleasure”. These responses reflect a certain humility on the part of the person being thanked. The person thanking is grateful for the service rendered by the one being thanked, and a polite “please” acknowledges the gratitude.
Young people often tend to offer alternative responses when thanked, especially in less formal situations. By saying “no problem,” the gratitude recipient is actually saying “this act or service did not bother me in any way.” The difference is subtle, but for some people, “no problem” places a little more emphasis on the recipient’s personal well-being. A ticket agent providing an airline ticket to a customer, for example, is performing just one of his normal tasks. If the customer says “thank you”, a more formal “please” would be considered more appropriate than “no problem”.
Some people compound this grammatical and social dilemma by offering even more informal answers like “no prob” or the pseudo-Spanish “no problemo.” While the sentiment might be perfectly acceptable, the informality could definitely be seen as inappropriate for the occasion. Some etiquette and grammar experts would prefer to see the complete eradication of “no problem” from the popular vernacular, but others believe it’s not as offensive as other possible answers or even no answers.
So, for the foreseeable future, it would be perfectly acceptable to issue a “no problem” in response to a friend’s informal expression of thanks, but avoid using it in more formal or professional situations.
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