You forgot to buy dessert for the dinner party? No pasa nada.
The waiter spilled water on the table? No pasa nada.
A kid comes running to you crying, “I got a boo-boo.”
You’ve guessed it, ¡que tampoco pasa nada!
No pasa nada is a ubiquitous expression that can be used as a response to so many situations in Spain. But as you’ve seen in the examples above, it’s generally used to reassure someone that they have nothing to worry about.
So what does no pasa nada really mean?
No pasa nada can be translated as “don’t worry about it,” “no worries,” or “no big deal” in English. It means there’s nothing to worry about.
But in some situations, it can also simply be translated to “it’s okay.” Like in this one: a student feels embarrassed after making a mistake in class and the teacher reassures them that making mistakes is part of the learning process.
No pasa nada. Así es como todos aprendemos.
It’s okay (to make mistakes). That’s how we all learn.
A related expression that I want to mention is tranquila. I get this response quite a lot when people want to tell me not to worry about something. Like when I say sorry when I’ve made a mistake or think I’m being a bother.
I’ve seen even fluent English speakers in Spain say “relax” in situations like this:
Me: “Sorry, I misunderstood.”
Friend: “Relax.”
And it confuses me when this happens because I’m not being hysterical or anything. Until I realize, “Oh, they mean tranquila,” in which case they should say “don’t worry” instead.
So what’s the difference between no pasa nada and tranquila? Anyone from my readers want to help me understand these two better?
Nothing happens
I’ve heard a lot of Spaniards use “nothing happens” when they want to say no pasa nada. And I’m guessing Google Translate has a role to play here.
The translation is even verified!
“Nothing happens” is a literal translation of no pasa nada. But this translation has nothing to do with the no pasa nada we are talking about here that is part of everyday Spanish conversation.
I can only think of one example where this literal translation could be used:
¿Qué pasa si _________? No pasa nada.
What happens if __________? Nothing (happens).
And this is usually when you’re talking about something in general. Like, “What happens if I mix salt and water?” and you’re asking whether there is a chemical reaction that occurs. The answer is none. There is no chemical reaction. Nothing happens.
Back to our no pasa nada.
No pasa nada as a way of life
This expression gets thrown out in Spain every day. And people usually mean it.
I say usually because being a foreigner, I still sometimes feel that people just use it to say “it’s okay” even though it’s really not. Or maybe I just haven’t fully internalized this expression even after three years of living in Spain. (I’m so sorry.) Maybe native Spanish speakers from Spain want to give their thoughts on this? Use the comments section below!
Meanwhile, no pasa nada is sometimes also used to describe the generally relaxed attitude Spaniards seem to have.
Now that I think about it, my uncertainty about whether those who say no pasa nada actually mean it could stem from my surprise that people can easily turn a blind eye to an otherwise serious offense. Or not worry about something that could have alarming repercussions. Or not plan for anything until it’s the day before it’s happening—or maybe until the day itself! Not every Spaniard I’ve met is like that, claro. But you get the point.
Now let’s consider the good things this no pasa nada outlook brings with it.
Because people here can say no pasa nada to a lot of things, I sometimes think that their everyday lives are spent with relatively fewer worries and less stress. Being able to easily let go of things and not sweating the small stuff are things we should all try to learn to do—especially if we usually find ourselves overwhelmed by all that’s happening in our lives. So no pasa nada, in that sense, provides some relief somehow.
I leave you this video to ponder on that last bit:
So there goes my attempt at clarifying what no pasa nada means in Spain and in which situations you can use it.
I don’t know how widely no pasa nada is used in other Spanish-speaking countries so I’ve only talked about how it’s used in Spain. But if you’re from another country and it’s also a common expression where you live, feel free to share your thoughts and experience with this expression in the comments section below.
♡ Thanks to Raquel and Iskra for their input when I was writing this article.
