# you bet



## nasridine

I went to a restaurant yesterday. After I paid I said "thanks" to the manager. He replied" you bet!"
That's confusing. Is it equal to "You are welcome"

If somebody say "Take care" to me, can I reply "You bet" to imply that "I will take care"?

<Moderator note: three threads with this title, all created within the last month, have been merged to create this one. A search tip: click search and enter your phrase inside "quotation marks". If you would prefer to find threads in English, click on advanced search and select the English Only forum.>


----------



## la grive solitaire

Hi nasridine,

Yes, "You bet!" is a casual way of saying "You're welcome." "You bet!" is similar to saying, "No problem."

"Take care" is a way of saying good-bye. It doesn't mean "You're welcome" so you wouldn't want to reply, "You bet." When someone says "Take care", you can answer, "Thanks!" or "You, too."


----------



## Cracker Jack

Can ''you bet'' also mean yes or something in the affirmative?  I often hear this in films.  When one is asking another a question, the other replies  ''You bet.'' And I take that to mean yes.  Is this correct?


----------



## la reine victoria

Cracker Jack said:


> Can ''you bet'' also mean yes or something in the affirmative? I often hear this in films. When one is asking another a question, the other replies ''You bet.'' And I take that to mean yes. Is this correct?


 



Yes, Cracker Jack. 


"Do you like chocolate?" "You bet!"  

It is an emphatic way of saying "yes".


A native of the USA will perhaps confirm that this is an abbreviation of "you bet your bottom dollar".


PS: We don't use "you bet" in BE in the context of your first question (restaurant manager).




LRV


----------



## Cracker Jack

Thanks lrv. In this case what is being used in BE instead of ''you bet'' for a yes.  Anything slangy or colloquial BE style?


----------



## la reine victoria

Cracker Jack said:


> Thanks lrv. In this case what is being used in BE instead of ''you bet'' for a yes. Anything slangy or colloquial BE style?


 


Not really. We're very formal over here. When we say "thanks" to a restaurant manager he replies, "Thank *you*." 

In a less formal restaurant you will sometimes hear, "You're very welcome."





LRV


----------



## Cracker Jack

Ok.  Thanks.


----------



## ktm

Could anybody be so kind to explain the meaning of "You bet" in context as follows:
--
"I missed it and would have have sold it for one hundred pounds and it's worth..." he turned to Pat. "Ten thousand?"
"Forty maybe."
"Yes" said Pete. "*You bet*. But this painting, how do you know that it is whatever you think it is?


----------



## jonny005

In this example the phrase 'you bet' would mean 'certainly' or 'surely'.


----------



## chat9998

Hi ktm,

As jonny said, it would mean "I agree" "yes" "certainly" or something like that... and this is true in almost any case you see "You bet."  If something follows it, like, "... on the horses," then they're talking about the actual betting.  But otherwise, seen alone, it will almost always mean this.

Hope that helps!
God bless,
Jeff


----------



## MissFit

It's a shortened way to say, "*you can bet on it*."


----------



## nytas

Hi all, what's the meaning of "you bet" in the following dialogue:
--He's very excitable. Sit down.
--Excitable! *You bet* I'm excitable. We're trying to put a guilty man in the chair where he belongs!


----------



## Sallyb36

It means *of course *here, or *you're right*


----------



## nytas

thank you


----------



## flyingmickey

Sallyb36 said:


> It means *of course *here, or *you're right*


But i am confused about that the subject in the first sentence is "he", while the one in the second sentence is "I". It seems that "you" VS "I" are usually used in the two-person dialog. Why? Can you tell me the truth? Thank you!


----------



## Sallyb36

THe first sentence was said by one person to another about a 3rd person,
The second sentence was said by the subject of the first sentence.


----------



## flyingmickey

Ok! I see! Thank you!


----------



## Sallyb36

you're welcome


----------



## Fox11

Hello everybody,

Can you tell me whether it's polite to answer to a person who's saying to you - Happy Holidays!-   - take care-  or it's better to answer - thank you, you too.


----------



## preppie

I would say, "Thanks, you too"  and I might add "Take care".  There are two separate thoughts. 1) Thanks for the well wishes and the same to you and 2) Take care of yourself (that is: be well).


----------



## Fox11

Thank you, preppie. I just got this reply today and was wondering whether I did something wrong...


----------



## Cagey

If they said "take care", it is not likely that they meant that you had done something wrong.  The thought behind it is as preppie said.  We often say "take care" as way of saying "good-bye", and we mean to show a friendly concern for the person. 

Was there something about what was said that made you think it might be a criticism?  If you tell us more about the situation and who said what, we can discuss that particular interaction.


----------



## Fox11

Thank you so much for your concern, Cagey. It was just a very simple situation in an office where I used some equipment and I said Thank you, Happy Easter when leaving. Since I got used to hear something different in reply, I thought that I said or did something inappropriate.


----------



## arrakisworm

Hello, everybody.

I was buying a pair of jeans at the store. The shop assistant helping me was American. He was helping me bringing pairs of different sizes, trying to find the best one. At the end, I thanked him by saying 'Thank you!' and he responded by saying 'You bet'. I've never encountered such phrase with regard to this context. Please tell me what it means. Is it just a polite response, like "you're welcome" or "no problem"? Or had he expressed some hidden intention? If yes, what was the intention? Was it hostile?

Thanks.


----------



## Hau Ruck

I'm not sure _why_ we say it, but it's very idiomatic. It just means "hey, you're welcome."

You also might hear, "You betcha" (basically, " You bet, You.")
or
"Sure thing!"
or
"Don't mention it!"
or
"No problem!"

They are just idiomatic responses we do in a very casual way to say, "You are welcome."  
(Some businesses would frown upon an employee responding this way; it's very casual.  )


----------



## arrakisworm

Thank you very much!


----------



## arrakisworm

By the way, now, after you mentioned it, I think he indeed did say "you betcha".


----------



## bennymix

There are many meanings of 'you bet,' but they don't involve hidden agendas or hostility, as far as I know.  I agree that here in the OP, it means 'you're welcome' or 'no big deal.'

Here are a couple from free online dictionary:

_You bet! __*1.* Inf. Yes. Tom: Are you coming to the party? Jane: You bet! Charlie: May I borrow your hammer? Mary: You bet!

__*2.* Inf. You're welcome. Tom: Thank you. Jane: You bet. Sally: I appreciate it. Mary: You bet.

_I'd add meanings such as _"That's for sure"__ of "I think so, too."  Tom: Now that Bill's entered the race, I think he'll win it.  John.  You bet!   Co-worker to another:  I think I'm in deep trouble with the boss." "You bet you are!"
_


----------



## Hau Ruck

arrakisworm said:


> Thank you very much!



You betcha!    (haha)


----------



## The Prof

I've never heard it in the UK - I don't think it's arrived here yet.


----------



## natkretep

Mod note: arrakisworm's thread (starting with post 24) has been added to an existing thread on 'you bet'.


----------



## Chasint

The Prof said:


> I've never heard it in the UK - I don't think it's arrived here yet.


I've heard it in AE movies but never in real life in Britain. Only an AE speaker would say it in 2013. Things may change.


----------



## bennymix

Hi Biffo,


Biffo said:


> I've heard it in AE movies but never in real life in Britain. Only an AE speaker would say it in 2013. Things may change.



I think the concept is there in the UK, but you Brits are just not as pithy as the Americans.   From a _Guardian_ story, below.   The last sentence in AE, is "You bet'cha." [=You can be sure of it]

*http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2012/mar/08/chelsea-managerial-hunt-mini-series* /How Chelsea's managerial hunt turned into a bonkbusting US mini-series   …the Football Association revealed that it has finally compiled a list of candidates to succeed the broodingly passionate maestro, Don Fabio.  […]The list was referred to as a "shortlist" suggesting that the International Committee had started out with a longlist, though exactly how long this longlist was would, at this stage, be futile to speculate[…]Will the FA's list contain some of the same names as Chelsea's list? You can bet your life on it./


----------



## The Prof

bennymix said:


> Hi Biffo,
> 
> 
> I think the concept is there in the UK, but you Brits are just not as pithy as the Americans.   From a _Guardian_ story, below.   The last sentence in AE, is "You bet'cha." [=You can be sure of it]
> 
> *http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2012/mar/08/chelsea-managerial-hunt-mini-series* /How Chelsea's managerial hunt turned into a bonkbusting US mini-series   …the Football Association revealed that it has finally compiled a list of candidates to succeed the broodingly passionate maestro, Don Fabio.  […]The list was referred to as a "shortlist" suggesting that the International Committee had started out with a longlist, though exactly how long this longlist was would, at this stage, be futile to speculate[…]Will the FA's list contain some of the same names as Chelsea's list? You can bet your life on it./



What I meant - and I assume Biffo meant too - is that we would not (yet) use "you bet" or any version of it as a response to "thank you" (our answers were in response on what is now #24).  In the Guardian context it is not at all uncommon.


----------



## Chasint

The Prof said:


> What I meant - and I assume Biffo meant too - is that we would not (yet) use "you bet" or any version of it as a response to "thank you" (our answers were in response on what is now #24).  In the Guardian context it is not at all uncommon.


Yes, precisely


----------



## Hau Ruck

The Prof said:


> What I meant - and I assume Biffo meant too - is that we would not (yet) use "you bet" or any version of it as a response to "thank you" (our answers were in response on what is now #24).  In the Guardian context it is not at all uncommon.



Definitely a distinction when using "you bet" to infer thanks, and to say "you can bet on it (affirmative!)".  A very good point.


----------



## dasubergeek

"You bet" and "you betcha" to mean "you're welcome" are very much current in the northern Midwest of the US, especially Minnesota. It's so ubiquitous that saying "you're welcome" sounds oddly stiff and formal. However, if you leave that area, it sounds quaint or even a little rude. The equivalent in New York would be "no prob" or "no problem".


----------



## bennymix

Hau Ruck said:


> Definitely a distinction when using "you bet" to infer thanks, and to say "you can bet on it (affirmative!)".  A very good point.



Note to Hau, Biffo, and so on,



Hau Ruck said:


> Definitely a distinction when using "you bet"  to infer thanks, and to say "you can bet on it (affirmative!)".  A very  good point.



I think there's a continuum of meanings.  

Consider  A: "I want to thank you for doing that."  B: "Sure thing."  (alternatively, "You Bet'cha.")   B's meaning is perhaps something like "I  see that for sure."

I think too there is sometimes a suggestion  of reciprocity as when people say  A:  "Thank you."  B: "Thank you!"  [I  see you're thanking me, and I thank you, likewise.] Possible meaning of  "You bet'cha."

A: "I want to thank you."  B: "I see that!  Fine!" 

A: "You've done a lot of good work for me."  B:  "Indeed, I have [=You can bet it was a lot of work!];  no problem!"  [=You Bet'cha]

In  short, 'You can bet on it,' is a kind of assurance or ratification of  something just said or done, as in the Guardian's example.   My  impression is that the Brits are right next door to some of the American  usages, but in longer phrasings.


----------



## zaffy

There is an outrageous video on YT showing a traffic stop. It occurs the driver is a judge, furious that he's been pulled over. The judge gets out of the vehicle and says with a hectoring tone of voice:  'You'd better check the registration on this plate soon". Looks like the officer indeed becomes daunted after he's checked the tag, comes back to the driver and says "Have a good day, judge". The judge replies still angrily  "You bet!"  So what is the meaning here? Something like "I certainly will!" or "No doubt I will"?


----------



## grassy

I think the judge was simply being ironic.


----------



## bretticus

zaffy said:


> There is an outrageous video on YT showing a traffic stop. It occurs the driver is a judge, furious that he's been pulled over. The judge gets out of the vehicle and says with a hectoring tone of voice:  'You'd better check the registration on this plate soon". Looks like the officer indeed becomes daunted after he's checked the tag, comes back to the driver and says "Have a good day, judge". The judge replies still angrily  "You bet!"  So what is the meaning here? Something like "I certainly will!" or "No doubt I will"?



I would need to see the video, but "you bet," in a typical context, is a common response to a friendly wish to the recipient (ie. "Have a good day, judge.") It implies, "I will. Thanks."

If the judge said it angrily, it's the same context as saying "I certainly will!" AND an implied "thank you" at the same time. In this context, the implied "thank you" is a little back-handed because it implies, "Whatever. Let's dispense with the pleasantries and both be on our way!" It's the bare-minimum, semi-civil response to someone giving you a friendly wish.

99.9% of the time, "you bet(cha)," in America, is a positive, yet informal, response. You can always tell the implied meaning with the tone of how it's said. You might hear it in a deadpan tone in the service industry (but, more often, "you're welcome.") when an employee is just automatically going through a verbal transaction (ie. a sale from your car in a fast-food restaurant drive-through line.) It doesn't mean they're rude, per se. It usually just means they are a disinterested teenager.


----------

