“Not at all.”

English Lesson: Not at all.

You're sitting at a coffee shop. A stranger asks, "Would you mind watching my stuff for a minute?". You're happy to do that, so you answer.

Not at all.

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Not at all.

This is one way to respond when someone asks "Do you mind...?" Answer this way if you're happy to help this person.

Here's an example of a short conversation:

A: Do you mind giving me a hand with this?

B: Not at all.

A: Thanks!

"Not at all" sounds polite and slightly formal. A more casual answer would be "Sure."

A: Would you mind calling me when you're done?

B: Sure.

That's a little confusing, right? "Not at all" means "no" but "sure" means "yes"!

When you answer "Not at all" you're responding to the form of the question:

A: Do you mind...?

B: Not at all.

When you answer "Sure" or "OK" you're responding to the meaning of the question:

A: Do you mind...? (Will you...?)

B: Sure!