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お構いなく。

Google gives translation please, don't fuss over me.

Can this phrase be used at work? If so, then should it be used as お構わないでください？

Does this phrase go from bottom (e.g. to 先生), or from top to [後輩]{こうはい}?

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airush
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1 Answers1

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Here is an article about it.

My own explanation is: It's a relatively rare phrase and it's almost always said in the form お構いなく ("お構わないでください" would be odd). It's used to decline somebody's offer casually, and hence it can be rude if the offer is not something trivial (like making a coffee), especially if you are "below" someone.

For example, this would be rude:

「太郎くん、履歴書書くの手伝ってあげようか」→「いえいえ、お構いなく」

「先生、明日は必ず見送りにいきますね」→「いやいや、お構いなく」

while this would be fine:

「太郎くん、コーヒを入れようか？」→「いえいえ、お構いなく」

「先生、車で送りますよ」→「いやいや、お構いなく」

The "triviality standard" does depend on your relative status. For example, 「先生、車で送りますよ」→「いやいや、お構いなく」 might be fine while 「太郎くん、車で送るよ」→「いえいえ、お構いなく」 could be rude (because an offer from somebody "above" is inherently "more valuable").

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Enno Shioji
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  • Thank you for the clear explanation. So the right answer to superior if he says 「太郎くん、コーヒを入れようか？」 would be「ありがとうございます、でも気にしないでください。」or 「いえいえ、お構いなく 」。 But as they are equal in that situation, which one would you choose? – airush Nov 28 '19 at 01:01
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    I think お構いなく sounds a tad more archaic/posh (e.g. if somebody under 20 uses it, it sounds a bit funny). But both are fine really. @airush – Enno Shioji Nov 28 '19 at 08:10