What to say when somebody says "silly me"

Question

I wonder if there is casual reaction when somebody says "silly me"?

For example somebody forgets his phone on a table when he left a office room and realized soon he did not take his phone with him. When he turns and takes his phone from the table, he says "silly me." How to reply in witty way, even if we do not have to..

@Mick I feel it would be a bit too informal..what if he is your boss? — Mrt, Dec 24 '16 at 20:31
Say nothing. If you must say something, how about "Oh dear!"? — Mick, Dec 24 '16 at 20:32
Remember: "It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt." ~ Mark Twain (or possibly Abraham Lincoln) — Mick, Dec 24 '16 at 20:37
@Mick He has a point! I'll just stick to keeping on smiling..that's the safe option — Mrt, Dec 24 '16 at 20:44
@Mick "People often misquote me on the Internet" - Albert Einstein — Andrew, Dec 24 '16 at 20:45

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 24 '16 at 20:44

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If a friend, then I usually say something like "Yeah, silly you" or, depending on the context, "Yeah, you're an idiot", although teasingly, not seriously.

If it's your boss (or someone who you don't want to insult) then you can say something like:

No, not at all. It's a common mistake.

No, anyone could make that mistake.

Think nothing of it.

Don't worry about it.

and various others.

answered Dec 24 '16 at 20:44

Andrew

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happens, dont worry/no worries – Saqeeb Dec 24 '16 at 21:01
The question asks about silly me, not silly you. "silly me" is a way to say that your inattention caused something unintended (usually minor) to happen. It only involves one person. – user3169 Dec 25 '16 at 01:02
@user3169 I think OP is pretty clear he's asking for the response when someone says "silly me". Also in comments he asks "what if it is your boss?" – Andrew Dec 25 '16 at 01:48

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 25 '16 at 02:50

silly me is an informal way to say that your inattention caused something unintended (usually minor, the "silly" part) to happen. It comments on the person making the statement.

So if you heard your friend say:

Silly me, I shouldn't be so absent minded.

any response depends on your relationship with that person, from a statement that is rude to one that is supporting.

But a response is definitely not required. If you are not on good terms with that person, it might be understood as hostile..

Regarding your boss, you might be respectful and say:

Don't worry about it, we all can be forgetful at times.

though it might be better not to say anything if it might be used against you later.

What to say when somebody says "silly me"

2 Answers2