“No pasa nada” means “don’t worry”, “it’s fine” or “no problem”.
Literally “nothing is happening”. It’s what Spaniards say when you apologise, when something goes wrong, or when they want you to relax: —Perdona, llego tarde. —No pasa nada. = Sorry I’m late. Don’t worry about it.
Hola! I’m Mónica, a Spanish teacher from Madrid. If Spain had an official phrase, it would be no pasa nada. You spill a drink: no pasa nada. You’re 20 minutes late: no pasa nada. The train is cancelled: bueno, no pasa nada. Here’s how to use it, and what it says about Spanish life.
How to use “no pasa nada”
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| —Lo siento, se me ha caído el vaso. —No pasa nada, tranquilo. | Sorry, I dropped the glass. Don’t worry, it’s fine. |
| Si no puedes venir, no pasa nada. | If you can’t come, that’s fine. |
| No pasa nada si te equivocas, así se aprende. | It’s OK if you make mistakes, that’s how you learn. |
| Aquí no pasa nada. | Nothing ever happens here. (literal use) |
As you can see in the last example, it can also have its literal meaning, “nothing is happening”. Context tells you which one.
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- No pasa nada: don’t worry, it’s fine. The most natural answer to an apology in Spain.
- No hay problema: no problem. More for agreeing to something: —¿Me ayudas? —No hay problema.
- No problemo: not real Spanish! It comes from Terminator 2. Read the story of “no problemo”.
¿Qué pasa? and other “pasar” phrases
- ¿Qué pasa?: what’s up? / what’s going on? (as a greeting with friends: ¡Qué pasa, tío!)
- ¿Qué te pasa?: what’s wrong with you?
- Pasa: come in!
- Paso: I’m not interested / count me out. —¿Vamos al gimnasio? —Paso.
Similar expressions
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tranquilo / tranquila | Relax, it’s fine |
| No te preocupes | Don’t worry |
| No hay problema | No problem |
| Da igual | It doesn’t matter |
| Tampoco es para tanto | It’s not such a big deal |
| Sin problema | No problem |
FAQ
Is “no pasa nada” only used in Spain?
It’s used everywhere, but in Spain it’s practically a philosophy of life.
What do you answer to “lo siento”?
No pasa nada is the most natural answer. No te preocupes works too.
Does “no pasa nada” mean “nothing happens”?
It can, literally. But most of the time it means “don’t worry, it’s fine”.
More Spanish expressions from Spain
This article is part of my series on real Spanish expressions, the ones Spaniards use every day and textbooks never teach:
- Estar como una cabra
- Ponerse las pilas
- Costar un ojo de la cara
- ¡Qué fuerte!
- Estar hecho polvo
- Me importa un pepino
- Ser pan comido
- Estar en las nubes
- Tomar el pelo
- Meter la pata
- Dar la lata
- Echar una mano
- En el quinto pino
- Ojalá
- Venga
- Eres la leche
- Toma tomate, tómalo
👉 See all Spanish expressions from Spain
Expressions are the shortcut to sounding real
Making mistakes in Spanish? No pasa nada: that’s how everyone learns. Download my free guide with 100 real Spanish phrases above, and if you want to know exactly what’s stopping you from speaking, book your Spanish Speaking Roadmap call below.
— Monica Bernabe Perez
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