How to Say “Don’t Worry” in Spanish (With Examples)

Key takeaways

• Spanish has many ways to tell someone not to worry, each with a slightly different tone and register.
• “No te preocupes” (informal) and “no se preocupe” (formal) are the direct translations of “don’t worry.”
• “Tranquilo/Tranquila” tells someone to calm down or relax. It’s warmer and more personal than the direct command.
• “No pasa nada” is one of the most natural and common expressions. It means both “don’t worry” and “it’s nothing.”
• A Spanish tutor can help you use these expressions naturally and know which one fits the emotional weight of the moment.

You have studied enough Spanish to know the grammar. You can conjugate verbs and string together sentences. But when a friend is stressed and you reach for “don’t worry,” only “no te preocupes” comes to mind, and even that comes out a second too late.

The emotional vocabulary of a language, the expressions you reach for when someone needs reassurance, takes the longest to feel natural. You rarely practice it from a list.

This guide covers the key ways to say “don’t worry” in Spanish. Learn them from the direct command to the casual wave-off, with examples showing the emotional tone each carries and when to use each one.

italki operates across 150+ languages with more than 30,000 tutors, giving you access to Spanish teachers who know exactly how to deliver emotional reassurance in Spanish.

No te preocupes / No se preocupe This is the most direct translation of “don’t worry.” It is a command form of preocupar (to worry).

• “No te preocupes” \= informal (tú), for friends, family, people you know well
• “No se preocupe” \= formal (usted), for professional contexts, older people, strangers

Examples:

• “Cometí un error en el informe.” “No te preocupes, podemos corregirlo.” (I made a mistake in the report. Don’t worry, we can fix it.)
• “Lo siento por llegar tarde.” “No se preocupe, no hay prisa.” (I’m sorry for being late. Don’t worry, there’s no rush.)

Practice these command forms with a Spanish tutor online.

Tranquilo / Tranquila

“Tranquilo” (to a man or boy) and “tranquila” (to a woman or girl) literally mean “calm” or “relax.” They function as reassurances. You are telling the person that the situation is under control and there is nothing to stress about.

Examples:

• “¿Y si no apruebo el examen?” “Tranquila, has estudiado mucho.” (What if I don’t pass the exam? Relax, you’ve studied a lot.)
• “Tranquilo, yo me encargo.” (Relax, I’ll handle it.)

Use this warmer register with a Spanish tutor to sound more personal and emotionally attuned.

No pasa nada

“No pasa nada” is perhaps the most naturally Spanish expression on this list. Literally, it means “nothing is happening” or “nothing has happened,” but in context it means “it’s nothing,” “no problem,” or “don’t worry about it.”

Examples:

• “Te he manchado la camisa.” “No pasa nada, es vieja.” (I’ve stained your shirt. Don’t worry about it, it’s old.)
• “Llego cinco minutos tarde.” “No pasa nada, aquí estamos.” (I’m five minutes late. No worries, we’re here.)

Master this casual, natural expression with online Spanish tutors on italki.

No importa

“No importa” means “it doesn’t matter” or “never mind.” It is a softer, more detached version. You are not necessarily reassuring the person emotionally; you are simply saying the thing they are worried about is not significant.

Examples:

• “Rompí tu bolígrafo.” “No importa, tengo más.” (I broke your pen. It doesn’t matter, I have more.)

Relájate / Cálmate

These are more direct commands to physically relax or calm down. They are slightly less gentle than “tranquilo” and can sound firm or even impatient if the tone is not right.

• “Relájate” \= relax (from relajarse)
• “Cálmate” \= calm down (from calmarse)

Examples:

• “Relájate, ya casi llegamos.” (Relax, we’re almost there.)
• “Cálmate, te escucho.” (Calm down, I’m listening to you.)

Practice these with varied emotional tones with a Spanish online tutor.

Todo está bien / Todo va bien

These expressions offer reassurance by asserting that things are actually fine.

Examples:

• “¿Cómo va el proyecto?” “Todo va bien, sin problemas.” (How is the project going? Everything is going well, no problems.)
• “Tranquila, todo está bien con el niño.” (Relax, the child is fine.)

Quick reference: which expression to use

Situation	Expression
Someone is stressed about a mistake	No te preocupes, Tranquilo/a
Minor mishap or small apology	No pasa nada, No es nada
Something that genuinely does not matter	No importa
Someone is panicking or agitated	Tranquilo/a, Cálmate
Reassuring that a situation is OK	Todo está bien, Todo va bien
Formal context (colleague, professional)	No se preocupe

For more expressions in Spanish, the guide to how to say excuse me in Spanish covers another set of conversational phrases that are easy to confuse.

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FAQ

Is “no te preocupes” too formal for close friends?

No, “no te preocupes” is perfectly natural for friends. What might feel formal is your delivery. Native speakers use this phrase constantly with friends, family, and colleagues. The informality comes from your tone of voice, not from changing to a different phrase.

When should I use “tranquilo” versus “no te preocupes”?

“Tranquilo” is warmer and more personal, emphasizing that you want the person to relax emotionally. “No te preocupes” is more direct, telling them not to worry about a specific thing. If your friend is anxious about anything in general, use “tranquilo.” If they are worried about one specific problem, “no te preocupes” fits better.

What’s the difference between “no pasa nada” and “no importa”?

“No pasa nada” implies that the mistake or problem was not serious to begin with. It’s gentle reassurance. “No importa” is slightly more detached, meaning “this genuinely doesn’t matter to me.” If someone spilled coffee on your shirt, you might say “no pasa nada” to reassure them. If someone broke your old phone, you might say “no importa” because you weren’t using it anyway.

Can I use these expressions at work?

Absolutely. In professional contexts, use the formal versions: “No se preocupe” instead of “no te preocupes,” and “Tranquilo/a” works fine if you have a friendly rapport. “No pasa nada” and “todo está bien” work in any professional setting. The register feels right because these are the actual phrases Spanish professionals use.