When someone tells you that ‘I owe you big time,’ they are appreciating you for something you helped them do or a favor you rendered. Apart from the generally recommended ‘it is fine’ and ‘thank you’ responses, I’ve curated a list of 20 best responses to ‘I owe you big time’ with use cases for each so that you can respond better and more creatively.
I Am Glad You Achieved That Because of Me
‘I am only glad that I could help you achieve that’ is a way to respond to ‘I owe you big time’ that shows you are happy you helped the person do what you did. This lets them know that you aren’t bothered by how tedious the job must have been or how inconveniencing it was to deploy your time and resources to help them.
- I am glad you achieved that because of me.
- You don’t know how happy I am that I was a part of the process of that achievement.
Nah. You Do Not Have to Worry About It Sir/Ma
When someone tells you that they owe you big time, they are hinting that they would be on the lookout for the right opportunity to repay your kind act to them. You can tell them that ‘you do not have to worry’ if you see it as a way to just offer help without expecting anything in return.
- It was truly a privilege for me to help you so you do not have to worry about it ma.
- There’s no problem at all. No pressure.
If You Feel Like Returning The Favor, I Do Not Mind
When the person telling you ‘I owe you’ is in a position to reward you for your help to them but you do not want them to worry about it, you can say ‘If you feel like returning the favor, I don’t mind.’ This response acknowledges that you expect the favor but if it doesn’t come there’s no worry at all.
- Well, if you feel inclined to repay the favor, I will heartily receive it
- Should you ever want to reciprocate, I won’t say no, sir.
For This? C’mon It Is Nothing
A response like this lets the individual know they don’t owe you much even when they say so. You are not in any way watering down your efforts but you can use it to show that you don’t see what you did as a big deal.
- Honestly, this isn’t something worth mentioning
- Oh, please, this is such a small thing. No need to make a fuss about it, mate
Yeah. Sure You Do
‘Sure you do’ is a funny response to ‘I owe you’ and you can use it when the person who says they owe you is a friend or someone who understands how humorous you can be. I often use this response when my partner or any of my siblings tell me that they owe me.
- Unhun, yes, you do
If You Say So, I Will Hold You To It
You can respond to ‘I owe you’ with ‘If you say so, I will hold you to it.’ A reply like this lets the individual know that while you may not have charged them for the assistance you rendered or the favor you provided, you are looking out for any form of remuneration possible.
- Fair enough, I guess I should be looking forward to it
- I’ll take that promise and hold on to it
I Was Only Returning The Favor So It Is Nothing
Assuming you were returning a favor to the person but they still feel like they owe you big time, you can respond with something like ‘I was only returning a favor, so it is nothing.’ Some people are very modest and thoroughly appreciative of even the littlest efforts by others towards them. You can also say:
- No need for that. You helped me the last time and I saw it as an opportunity to return the favor
- Don’t mention it. I am happy I got the chance to repay the favor I owed you
I Know You’ll Do The Same For Me If I Asked You To
Another way to respond to ‘I owe you big time’ is to tell the person why you agreed to help them out. You can say ‘I know you’ll do the same for me if I asked you to’ if you are friends with them and are confident they’ll help you when you need their help.
- You’d do the same if you had the chance, so why shouldn’t I?
- Nah, I’ll be more than happy to help as I know you are someone I can count on anytime
You Are My Friend And I’ll Always Want To Help You
When your friend tells you that they owe you big time but you were only trying to help out just because you are friends, you can respond with “You are my friend and I’ll always want to help you.” This response shows that you are genuinely happy to help them and that you don’t see your assistance as a burden.
- This is what friends are for, right?
- As my friend, I’ll always be willing to help when you need me to
You Aren’t Gonna Escape This One
If a friend or colleague at work tells you they owe you after you helped them do something, you can inform them that they aren’t escaping repaying the favor. I believe as friends or coworkers you must have made sacrifices for them that haven’t been rewarded.
- You always say you owe me but you never pay me back. This time around, I am not letting it slide
- There’s no way you are not repaying it and I’ll make sure you pay in full
Hahaha. How Are You Paying Me?
I recommend a response like ‘How are you paying me?’ when a friend tells you they owe you big time. It is also possible to use it in a more formal setting although without the laughter part. You can also say ‘Well, boss, I wouldn’t mind the repayment with enough interest on it.’ For more examples, here are a few suggestions:
- If you are paying me, make it big
- I desire a full compensation since you want to repay the favor
I Do Not Doubt Your Words
You can give the person a vote of confidence by saying ‘I do not doubt your words’ when they tell you that they owe you big time. This response just lets them know that you believe what they say and even if they weren’t open to rewarding you, they could become forced to do so.
- I am confident you will return the favor when you get the opportunity
- Since you’ve mentioned it, I am sure you’ll deliver on your promise
This Is What Friends Are For, Right?
Friends are supposed to look out for each other and help them when the need arises. So, you can say ‘This is what friends are for’ as a reply when your friend uses ‘I owe you big time’ to show their appreciation for something you’ve done.
- Well, friends should help each other without keeping scores
- This is what friendship is about, making sacrifices for each other
Thank You But You’ve Done So Much For Me Already And I Can Only Do The Best I Can To Reciprocate Your Kind Gestures
One of the best ways to respond to ‘I owe you big time’, especially from someone who has consistently done well for you is to say ‘I am only trying to reciprocate all your kind gestures to me.’ No doubt your friend would have done some things for you and if you care about them, you should be willing to go out of your way sometimes to make them know you value your relationship.
- What I have done is not enough to measure what you’ve done for me
- You have done so much for me already and that’s the least I can do to appreciate you
At The Right Time, I’ll Hold You Up To Your Bargain
‘At the right time, I’ll hold you up to your bargain’ is another way to respond to ‘I owe you big time.’ This one will come in handy when you want them to compensate you for whatever favor you offered them or what you helped them do.
- You can count on me to collect that debt when the opportunity presents itself
- I’ll keep your words in mind, and when the timing is appropriate, I’ll expect you to deliver
I Want You To Always Find Me Reliable, To Always Count On Me
You can use a response like ‘I want you to always find me reliable’ when you are referring to someone you’d like to see as a person you can count on. I will recommend you use this reply when you are responding to ‘I owe you big time’ from a partner or your best friend.
- Just need you to know that I’ll always be there for you if you ever need me
- You don’t have to mention because I will always do my best to make sure I am there when you need me to be
You Are A Good Person And Anyone Would Be Happy To Assist You In Whatever Way They Can
If you helped someone and they said ‘I owe you a lot,’ you can reply with ‘You are a good person and I am sure anyone would be delighted to assist you when you need them to.’ Such a remark would give them a confidence boost about their personality and further establish the relationship you have with them.
- You have no idea the number of people that will happily do anything for you when you ask
- I just did what everyone would do considering how nice and accommodating you are
You Do Not Owe Me Anything, Mate. Your Gratitude Is Enough For Me
When someone says they owe you a lot, you can respond by saying ‘Nah. Your show of gratitude is enough for me.’ If you were doing them a favor and weren’t expecting anything from them in return, you can also say ‘I was just helping out man, you do not owe me anything.’
- It’s calm, bro. Just wanted to help you out in the best way I could
- Showing me how grateful you are is enough for me. You don’t have to worry about what you owe
This Is Not The Best Outcome We Could Get Though
Sometimes, you may help someone to do something and while they are grateful for your help, you are confident that it didn’t turn out well. It could be that you assisted them in making a new recipe, helped out in a college experiment, or their garden. When they respond with ‘I owe you big time’ but it wasn’t the best outcome, you can respond by saying ‘it could have turned out much better.’
- I wish I could have made it much better than this
- There are some flaws and I am confident we could have had a better outcome
You Are Welcome, Man
To wrap up, you can stick with the typical ‘you are welcome’ when responding to someone who says ‘I owe you big time.’ Their statement is a show of appreciation and telling them that they are welcome is the simplest way to respond to someone’s words of gratitude.
- Oh dear, that’s so cool. You are welcome
- Come off it. You are welcome, sis.
Anyone who tells you they owe you big time is trying to show their appreciation for what you’ve done and it matters how you respond to them so you don’t seem arrogant. I believe you have found worthy responses to ‘I owe you big time’ when next you are told.
