How to Say Don't Worry in Japanese: Ki ni Shinaide and More

When a friend apologises, shinpai shinaide sounds slightly off. They are not anxious about the future; they feel bad about the past. Japanese has separate words for those two worries.

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A friend placing a reassuring hand on another friend's shoulder
What you need to know

How to Say Don't Worry in Japanese: Ki ni Shinaide and More

Don't worry covers two different situations in English. One is reassuring someone who feels bad about something they did: an apology, a favour, a mistake. The other is calming someone who is anxious about what might happen. Japanese uses ki ni shinaide for the first, from ki ni suru, to be bothered by something, and shinpai shinaide for the second, from shinpai, anxiety. Daijōbu and a handful of warm phrases fill in the rest. This guide covers both, the polite versions for superiors and customers, and how to comfort a friend without sounding dismissive.

Ki ni shinaide means do not let it bother you: after apologies and thanks

Shinpai shinaide means do not be anxious: about future outcomes

Reply to an apology with ie ie or zenzen daijōbu desu

To superiors, use dōzo o-ki ni nasaranaide kudasai

Two kinds of worry

Ki ni suru means to mind, to be bothered, to keep thinking about something. Telling someone ki ni shinaide releases them from guilt or embarrassment about something that has happened.

Shinpai suru means to worry in the anxious sense, about health, results or the future. Shinpai shinaide tells someone that things will be all right.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
気にするki ni suruTo mind, to be bothered by
心配するshinpai suruTo worry, to be anxious about
気にしないで。Ki ni shinaide.Do not worry about it. (it is fine)
心配しないで。Shinpai shinaide.Do not worry. (it will be fine)

Ki ni shinaide: after an apology or a favour

This is the phrase for when someone apologises, thanks you for something small, or feels embarrassed. It says the matter is closed and nothing is owed.

Adding zenzen, not at all, makes it clear you really were not bothered, and kudasai makes it polite enough for acquaintances.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
気にしないでね。Ki ni shinaide ne.Do not worry about it, okay?
気にしないでください。Ki ni shinaide kudasai.Please do not worry about it.
全然気にしてないよ。Zenzen ki ni shite nai yo.I really do not mind at all.
そんなこと、気にしなくていいよ。Sonna koto, ki ni shinakute ii yo.You do not need to worry about something like that.

Shinpai shinaide: about what comes next

When a friend is nervous about an exam, a hospital visit or a difficult conversation, shinpai shinaide and its warmer companions offer reassurance about the outcome.

Kitto adds conviction, and nantoka naru, it will work out somehow, is a relaxed optimism that friends use with each other.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
心配しないで。Shinpai shinaide.Do not worry.
心配いらないよ。Shinpai iranai yo.There is nothing to worry about.
きっと大丈夫だよ。Kitto daijōbu da yo.I am sure it will be fine.
なんとかなるよ。Nantoka naru yo.It will work out somehow.

Replying to an apology

Most real uses of don't worry are replies to sumimasen or gomen. A quick ie ie, followed by daijōbu, is the natural rhythm, and it matters to say it promptly so the other person can relax.

When both sides caused the problem, kochira koso turns the apology around, and otagaisama, we are in the same boat, suits small mutual inconveniences.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
いえいえ、大丈夫ですよ。Ie ie, daijōbu desu yo.Oh, no, it is fine.
全然大丈夫です。Zenzen daijōbu desu.It is absolutely fine.
こちらこそ、すみません。Kochira koso, sumimasen.No, I am the one who should apologise.
お互いさまです。Otagaisama desu.We are in the same situation, no need to apologise.

The many uses of daijōbu itself, including the ones that mean no thank you, are covered in the guide to daijōbu.

Reassuring a superior or a customer

Telling a superior how to feel is delicate, so the polite versions use honorific language. Dōzo o-ki ni nasaranaide kudasai is the respectful form of ki ni shinaide, and go-shinpai naku is a short, polished reassurance.

In service settings, the reassurance is usually paired with what you will do, which is more convincing than the words alone.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
どうぞお気になさらないでください。Dōzo o-ki ni nasaranaide kudasai.Please do not concern yourself about it.
ご心配なく。Go-shinpai naku.Please do not worry.
問題ございません。Mondai gozaimasen.There is no problem at all.
こちらで対応いたしますので、ご安心ください。Kochira de taiō itashimasu node, go-anshin kudasai.We will take care of it, so please rest assured.

Comforting a friend

When a friend is struggling, too quick a don't worry can sound dismissive. Acknowledging the difficulty first and offering support tends to land better than insisting everything is fine.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
大変だったね。Taihen datta ne.That sounds really hard.
無理しないでね。Muri shinaide ne.Do not push yourself too hard.
何かあったら言ってね。Nanika attara itte ne.Let me know if anything comes up.
ゆっくり休んでね。Yukkuri yasunde ne.Get some proper rest.

Which reassurance to use

This table sorts the common situations.

SituationWhat to sayAvoid
A friend apologises for being lateKi ni shinaide, zenzen daijōbuShinpai shinaide
A friend is nervous about an examShinpai shinaide, kitto daijōbu da yoKi ni shinaide
A colleague thanks you for a small favourIe ie, ki ni shinaide kudasaiSaying nothing
Your manager apologises to youDōzo o-ki ni nasaranaide kudasaiCasual ki ni shinaide
A customer is worried about a delayGo-anshin kudasai, with a concrete planNantoka naru
A friend shares bad newsTaihen datta ne, then an offer of helpJumping straight to reassurance

Apologies and reassurance come up in Unihongo's roleplay missions, such as apologising to a neighbour or handling a customer complaint, and the corrections in the session report point out lines that did not fit the situation, which is the kind of error native speakers understand and quietly register.

Key points

A practical way to improve

Write down three small apologies you might receive, such as someone arriving late, breaking a cup and forgetting a message, and one worry, such as a friend's job interview. Say the right reassurance for each aloud, then switch the listener to your manager and repeat. Rehearsing this with an AI Sensei in Unihongo's 3D classroom helps the choice between ki ni shinaide and shinpai shinaide become instant.

  1. 1

    Choose one clear goal

    Focus each session on a situation or skill you can actually use.

  2. 2

    Practice actively

    Say complete answers aloud instead of only reading or recognizing Japanese.

  3. 3

    Review and repeat

    Keep useful corrections and revisit the same skill until it feels natural.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ki ni shinaide and shinpai shinaide?

Ki ni shinaide tells someone not to feel bad or bothered about something that already happened. Shinpai shinaide tells them not to be anxious about something that might happen. Apologies take the first; nerves take the second.

Is ki ni shinaide kudasai polite enough for my boss?

It is polite but still a request that tells them how to feel. Dōzo o-ki ni nasaranaide kudasai uses honorific language and is the better choice with superiors and customers.

How do I reply when someone says sumimasen?

Say ie ie, daijōbu desu yo, or zenzen daijōbu desu if it really was nothing. If you share some responsibility, kochira koso sumimasen, I am sorry too, is gracious.

What does nantoka naru mean?

It works out somehow. Nantoka naru yo is a relaxed, optimistic reassurance between friends. It is too casual for serious worries or for colleagues, where a more concrete offer of help is better.

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