# No, thanks. I'm good.



## englishelp

I think I have heard the use of "I am good" in situations like the following: 

A: Would you like a XXX? 
B: No, thanks. I'm good. 

This compelled me to look for the relevant definitions of "good" or "I'm good" in the dictionary but I could not find any that fits. 

Could people please tell me what this means?


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## Infininja

In the case of being offered a drink or food, it simply means that person is currently satiated and does not desire anything to drink or eat. _I'm okay_ would mean the same thing, if that helps.


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## sendaclear

if someone offer you a drink or some food, you could say "I am alright , thank you"as a refusal. I think this is a better manner.


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## Ann O'Rack

"I'm good" is becoming common in the UK, well in the South East at least, among "the young". (Sadly, I don't count among their number but I have kids!)

It is used to reply to "would you like a..." and also "how are you?", and means "I'm ok", as Infininja says, but it's casual and informal - fairly typical of _that generation_!


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## xxxelizz

Yes, it means that quite literally; "I am good/content without the thing you are offering me. Thank you."


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## xxxelizz

I know I use it all the time


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## pickarooney

I would say "I'm grand" instead of "I'm good". If anyone's interested.


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## Ann O'Rack

pickarooney said:


> I would say "I'm grand" instead of "I'm good". If anyone's interested.


 
That is a particularly Irish response, and wouldn't be heard in the UK except when spoken by those who are Irish or of Irish descent. (To be sure.)


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## pickarooney

You're probably right, although in Ireland people tend to say "you're grand" when offered something, which is, understandably, confusing for non-natives.


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## paulrobert

I'm thinking "I'm good" is an elipsis or shortening of the phrase "I'm good to go", a set phrase which has a similar meaning but, now at least, perhaps not so broad a contextural usage.


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## Rover_KE

'I'm good' is colloquial in the USA and is being increasingly used by the young elsewhere.

I say 'I'm fine, thanks'.

Rover


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## Egrorian

"Thanks, I'm fine" might be used also in cases when one is offered something.  
It might be confused with the polite response to the "How are you" question though. In the latter, the order of the words is usually slightly altered: "How are you" - "I'm fine,  thanks". Either variant will work in polite refusal.


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## pickarooney

Isn't the expression "how are you for coffee?" fairly common? In which case "I'm good" is not illogical.


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## Frecossais

pickarooney said:


> You're probably right, although in Ireland people tend to say "you're grand" when offered something, which is, understandably, confusing for non-natives.



Interesting point about the I/you switch-around, pickarooney - in Scotland people often do the same, but with "all right". For example: "Would you like a coffee?" "No, you're all right."
As you say, a wee bit confusing for visitors.


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## Packard

Ann O'Rack said:


> That is a particularly Irish response, and wouldn't be heard in the UK except when spoken by those who are Irish or of Irish descent. (To be sure.)


 

In AE you might as well say, "I'm peachy keen..."

I think either will brand you as an oddball (probably wearing bow ties and a small derby hat.


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## susanna76

Egrorian said:


> "Thanks, I'm fine" might be used also in cases when one is offered something.
> It might be confused with the polite response to the "How are you" question though. In the latter, the order of the words is usually slightly altered: "How are you" - "I'm fine,  thanks". Either variant will work in polite refusal.



I'm a little confused here. What if I say "I'm fine, thanks" when offered something? Do I have to say "No, thanks. I'm fine" in that order?


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## Packard

susanna76 said:


> I'm a little confused here. What if I say "I'm fine, thanks" when offered something? Do I have to say "No, thanks. I'm fine" in that order?


 
If someone asks, "Would you like some more coffee?"  You might say, "No.  Thanks.  I'm fine."

The "no" is in reply to the question asked.

If you did want some more coffee you might say, "Yes, please.  That would be nice."

The "Yes" is a reply to the question asked.  The rest is an effort to be polite.


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## Pedro y La Torre

I'd mostly likely say "No thanks, I'm grand" or "I'm alright".


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## Packard

Pedro y La Torre said:


> I'd mostly likely say "No thanks, I'm grand" or "I'm alright".


 
I tried the "grand" bit here in New York yesterday and all I got were strange looks.

"And how are you today?"

"I'm just grand, thank you."

Then just strange looks.  I think this works better over on the other side of the Atlantic.


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## Pedro y La Torre

Packard said:


> I tried the "grand" bit here in New York yesterday and all I got were strange looks.
> 
> "And how are you today?"
> 
> "I'm just grand, thank you."
> 
> Then just strange looks.  I think this works better over on the other side of the Atlantic.



Try with an Irish accent and you never know, might work


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## moonglow

So, basically:

'No, thanks' = No, thank you. Thanks for your offer.

'No thanks' = No gratitude. E.g. I didn't receive a single thank-you for my assistance.


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## Einstein

moonglow said:


> 'No thanks' = No gratitude. E.g. I didn't receive a single thank-you for my assistance.


I'd make this interpretation better in a longer sentence: I got no thanks for my help.
We could also say, "Things are going better now, no thanks to you", meaning that the merit is not yours.

If I just saw "No thanks", I wouldn't think of this interpretation in spite of the missing comma.


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## fdk47

<<Moderator note:  fdk's question has been merged with a prior discussion on "I'm good.  Please review the posts above>>

If someone is explaining something to you in an informal situation, such as when you go to a tour desk at a travel agency and they ask you "Do you have any questions?" can I say either "I'm OK. " or "I'm good." to say "No, I don't have any questions."

Thank you.


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## boozer

I would find this somewhat odd, as though you were politely declining an offer to be served some food or drink, but I would understand you.


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## brightflame

I would say "no, thanks", or if the situation was very informal (e.g. if the person at the tour desk was my age or younger - I am 30, by the way) "I'm good, thanks". I wouldn't say just "I'm good" or "I'm ok."


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## sound shift

I agree with boozer.


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## fdk47

Thank you everyone. "No, I don't have any questions." sounds somehow too long. Does saying "No, thank you." or "Not really." sound natural?

If you could let me know any other short/colloquial version of "No, I don't have any questions.", I'd really appreciate it.

Thank you.


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## Stoggler

If it's informal and you've been asked "Do you have any question?", you could response simply with "no, no questions.  Thanks".


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## Copyright

fdk47 said:


> Thank you everyone. "No, I don't have any questions." sounds somehow too long.


There's always a slight shake of the head and a no-ing smile.


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## sound shift

And there's also "No, I don't think so" if you want to save three syllables compared with "No, I don't have any questions."


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## boozer

Or 'No, no questions' - we probably gain another syllable.


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## dharasty

If the situation is informal, and you are really trying to save syllables, then you could reply:

"Nope! Thanks!" with a big smile, to show your gratitude and to dispel the chance you are taken as being curt.

However, you use SO MANY facial muscles to smile, we'll have to do a detailed calculation to see if you are really saving any anatomical work instead of using more syllables...


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## JulianStuart

dharasty said:


> If the situation is informal, and you are really trying to save syllables, then you could reply:
> 
> "Nope! Thanks!" with a big smile, to show your gratitude and to dispel the chance you are taken as being curt.
> 
> However, you use SO MANY facial muscles to smile, we'll have to do a detailed calculation to see if you are really saving any anatomical work instead of using more syllables...


(The frown uses far fewer muscles than a smile, so being curt and frowning is the least expenditure of energy)


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## fdk47

Thank you everyone!


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## moonglow

Need to use two examples for contrast and comparison here.

*No, thanks. / No, thank you*. (With a comma, means "No, but thank you anyway.")

*No thanks. / No thank you.* (Without a comma means "It was a thankless task. In other words, "I received no thanks / no thank you for all my hard work," not an iota of gratitude was expressed.)

Is this correct?


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## JulianStuart

moonglow said:


> Need to use two examples for contrast and comparison here.
> 
> *No, thanks. / No, thank you*. (With a comma, means "No, but thank you anyway.")
> 
> *No thanks. / No thank you.* (Without a comma means "It was a thankless task. In other words, "I received no thanks / no thank you for all my hard work," not an iota of gratitude was expressed.)
> 
> Is this correct?


This was addressed before in post #22, I think.


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## Einstein

JulianStuart said:


> This was addressed before in post #22, I think.


As the author of post #22 I'll just add that, in "No thanks" indicating refusal, perhaps a comma is needed according to strict grammatical rules but it's a set phrase and I don't consider the comma essential. It would take a lot of context to make me interpret it as "no gratitude". And I would never give that interpretation to "No thank you".


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## fdk47

fdk47 said:


> If someone is explaining something to you in an informal situation, such as when you go to a tour desk at a travel agency and they ask you "Do you have any questions?" can I say ....
> 
> Thank you.



I think it depends on the tone of my voice and the facial expression, but if don't sound cynical or look angry or irritated, can I just say "No.", just one word? 

Thank you.


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## Copyright

fdk47 said:


> I think it depends on the tone of my voice and the facial expression, but if don't sound cynical or look angry or irritated, can I just say "No.", just one word?


Yes.


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## ewie

fdk47 said:


> I think it depends on the tone of my voice and the facial expression, but if don't sound cynical or look angry or irritated, can I just say "No.", just one word?
> 
> Thank you.


This is one of those occasions where I'd say _Nope_ rather than _No_ [see post #32].


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## fdk47

Thank you!


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## fdk47

Does not saying the first "No" sound strange to native speakers? 

"Do you have any questions?"---"No questions. Thanks." (Not "No, no questions. Thanks.")

Thank you.


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## perpend

_No. Thanks! I'm good._

Very idiomatic in American English.

Note my punctuation. That's how I perceive it.


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## fdk47

Thank you, perpend. 

Does "Do you have any question?"---"No. Thanks! I'm OK." sound natural in AE?

As for my question in #42, does this sound natural to native speakers?

"Do you have any questions?"---"No questions. Thanks." (Not "*No,* no questions. Thanks.")

Thank you.


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## JamesM

"I'm okay/OK" usually follows as a reply when someone has asked if there is a problem of some kind.  They might assume you are injured or lost or upset.  I wouldn't tend to use it in response to a question about my having any questions.

"No questions, thanks." Or "No questions. Thanks." both sound natural to me.  The difference in punctuation reflects my interpretation of the timing of the response.  In the second one there is a brief pause between "questions" and "Thanks".


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## fdk47

Thank you very very much!


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## zaffy

So I can use all three in that sentence, with 'fine' being less natural, right? 

A: Would like some cookies?
B: I'm okay/all right/fine, thanks.


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## Florentia52

zaffy said:


> So I can use all three in that sentence, with 'fine' being less natural, right?
> 
> A: Would like some cookies?
> B: I'm okay/all right/fine, thanks.


It really depends on the context. If you're at a party where food is being served, and someone offers you cookies, all of the responses sound a bit odd. "No, thank you" is what would be expected.

If, on the other hand, you've been hiking all day with friends, everyone is is extremely hungry, and someone offers cookies, "I'm okay, thanks" might be a reasonable way to explain that you're not as hungy as the others.


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## zaffy

I watched a video on YT made by a Canadian and he said 'No, thanks' wasn't that polite and he suggested "I'm okay, thanks" to decline an offer. 
Though he didn't mention offering food. Instead he mentioned going to a barber shop and gave the following example:

A: Would you like gel in your hair?
B: I'm okay, thanks.

So he said it worked much better than 'No, thanks'. Would you agree? They title of the video  says "Don't say 'No' "


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## kentix

"No thank you" is very polite. "No thanks" probably doesn't sound as polite.


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## velisarius

I think either _No thanks_ or _No thank you_ are both perfectly polite for such a situation. Or at least they are where I come from. 

"I'm good" is an Americanism. I have nothing against it, but I don't use it.


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## Myridon

Americans make jokes about how overly polite Canadians are.  "No, thanks" is quite polite.  "I'm okay/good." is more casual/familiar, but hardly more polite.  In fact, it seems a little impolite in this situation.
No, thanks. = No, I don't want any.
I'm okay. = I know better than you (a barber) how much hair gel I need.


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## You little ripper!

I find that “All good” is becoming quite a popular alternative here  to “ No thanks”, as well as being a phrase used for reassurance.


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