No, just "whatever" on its own is kind of rude, but then it sounds in your explanation like you mean to be rude? "Whatever" on its own might sound dismissive, more like "do whatever the fuck you like, I don't care and I don't know why you're telling me this".
I think it depends on what you’re being asked and how you say it. If someone says “we’re ordering food, would you prefer Chinese or Indian?” then I think you can just respond “whatever” as long as your tone of voice doesn’t sound rude.
You’re right though that saying it on its own can sound rude. In that situation for example, even if you said “whatever, I don’t mind either way” it’s much friendlier.
I think tone of voice is often more important than actual content of words when it comes to politeness. A nice toned “would you mind passing me the salt?” is more polite than a “pass me the salt please” in my opinion, for example.
Fair point! I think what I was getting at is that some people tend to treat politeness as a binary thing where if the word please is there it’s automatically polite, and if it’s not there then it’s impolite no matter how nicely it’s phrased. So I was trying to give examples of both those things.
And then some people don't believe in politeness at all, 'Can I get...' in restaurants does my head in, or worse just reeling off your order without any form of question. "Could I have... please?" is not so out of anyone's way to say.
Yeah, there are tons of other ways to say the same thing but come across as polite (or just not rude):
- maybe?!
- could be!
- you might be right!
- who knows
- possibly
- I don’t know about that
- you never know
- ok mate
- each to their own I suppose
Those are all fine to cause a break in the conversation. Follow up with a question or another topic and you have led the conversation away from where it was to where you might want it to be. Or just walk away.
"I'm happy for you to make that call"
"I trust you to make this decision"
"Whatever you prefer is fine"
"I really have no preference either way"
Saying "whatever" on its own is a bit rude.
When I was starting out in my career our team had a meeting with our director who said; "don’t be afraid to make decisions in my absence, I can always fix them when I get back" they were not being funny.
Came here to suggest that for some reason, "whichever" is much more polite than "whatever".
A bit like the difference between "I don't mind" and "I don't care".
Precisely this. Something like "Yep, whatever" can sound confirmatory and unfussed, whilst "whatever" can be dismissive and uninterested when not accompanied with an upbeat tone. However I'd personally stay away from it all together in a professional context to avoid potential misunderstanding.
It needs to be in the right context. For example a manager asks you to do something and you answer "Yes, whatever you want". Just "Whatever" that the OP asked about is dismissive and rude..
Whatever you want still can be interpreted badly. Best just to avoid whatever. It’s mainly about tone of voice but if the manager suspected you didn’t like them beforehand, they could interpret really anything negatively so best to make it as hard for them to do that as possible.
Yea, that’s hard disagree in an office setting (or even personal, tbh). “Whatever you think is best” or “whatever works” can be fine, but whatever by itself is just as OP describes it (“fuck off, I don’t care”).
In an office setting, it's still not polite. Especially if all you're saying is "whatever" then it's extremely dismissive.
A more business friendly way to say what you want might be something like "I'll leave it up to you to decide". If you still want to use "whatever" then make it part of a much longer sentence: "I'm fine with whatever you decide".
I think they're different. I think "What.... everrrrrr" is even more dismissive than "whateverrrr". I think "Whateverrrr" implies more frustration, accompanied with perhaps throwing your head back like a frustrated teen.
Maybe this is because I don't come from a particularly corporate background, but tonally "yeah, whatever" or "yeah, whatever really!" is really normal in environments I've worked in. 'Do whatever' also pretty common.
But maybe that's regional, or just because my managers preferred to straight talk
It somehow feels very British. I probably heard it a lot cos I was doing design work - you get used to pretty blunt statements and people are often unsure of what they want
Intonation, I think, is extremely key. I could say, "yeah, whatever" with a flat intonation and it's still dismissive and rude. But I can also say, "yeah, whatever!" with a lifting intonation and now it's friendly but informal.
Often people who are non-native speakers can really struggle to know how to use the exact kind of intonation necessary to ensure the "hidden message" is carried along with the words. Or even if they *know* how, sometimes it just still doesn't get across, even if they *think* they're doing it right.
So sometimes it's just safer to use clearer, less informal phrasing. Especially in a business setting where you don't want to risk upsetting a client or your boss.
That's true - getting the intonation right would be extremely difficult non-natively because you have to get that lilt just right. And I suppose if you're dealing with international clients as well, it's much better to be totally clear cut.
Context and tone make a huge difference though. What's being asked, by who and why. If they need your input and you just 'whatever' them that's not good. If they're just asking for a preference of something fairly trivial then it's a different thing.
Depends on the context I suppose
For most times, especially if it’s in work, yeah it’s basically a nicer way of saying “I don’t give a fuck”
But if you’re asking someone, your other half say, what they would like for dinner, or what shop they want to go in when shopping, then I’d take it as “I’m not too bothered/you choose”
Depends what the question was. If it was, “X, can you file those TPS reports today please?” then “whatever” would be a rude reponse. If it was “where shall we go for lunch today?” then it’s not really rude but most people would say “I don’t mind” or “I don’t have a preference”.
Really? I have 15 years’ experience of that environment and it’s said a lot without causing offence. Mind you most of that 15 years was in Wales so perhaps that explains it 🤣
Completely agree. A stress on the second and third syllables and change of pitch for those definitely helps convey it in more of a, “I don’t mind,” meaning.
There aren't really any ways to say "stop bothering me with that bull" which are 100% polite. If you want people to stop bothering you with pointless crap, maybe an office job isn't for you.
Correct.
It is quite dismissive/rude, but it will depend on the tone/body language too.
It's a sign of irritation with the question being asked. It's used typically by teenagers, rolling their eyes at their parents.
I don't think "whatever" as a word is the problem, it will be because of how short the answer is.
I agree "whatever" or "fine, whatever" means either "I'm annoyed with you and feel like you don't care about my opinion" or "I'm not willing to make any effort to engage with this". It's only slightly better than just blanking someone entirely.
"Whatever you think is fine" would be the polite way to express OP's sentiment.
'Whatever' was proven to be the most annoying word in the English language, generally causing upset and anger. It's a word that shows you can't be bothered to engage with the speaker.
"Whatever" is probably the rudest answer it's possible to give without straying into profanity, depending on tone of voice, but the meaning is fundamentally exactly what you think.
Better would be something along the lines of "I do not mind, take the action you think best" or "I have no preference", or other words to that effect depending on what they're actually asking.
Of course if your intent is to make them sod off and stop bothering you with that bull, then "Whatever" is perfect, just make sure your tone of voice is suitably dismissive so they understand that both they and the topic are beneath your contempt.
It’s appropriate to say “oh, whatever you want” or “whatever you think is best” or “whatever is needed”, not not just “whatever”.
You might get away with it if, say, someone says “what type of sandwich do you want from the buffet?” and you say “whatever is fine, thanks!” but not just “whatever”.
Spoken English can be exceedingly complicated, sometimes even for native speakers. There are all sorts of regional and social quirks that occasionally baffle "outsiders."
I personally find it a bit strange when a retail shop employee asks me "Are you alright?" when I'm looking at the products for sale. (Do I look sick, or upset about something? No. I'm just considering whether or not I want to buy a pair of socks.)
As a born native-speaker of English, I agree with you. "Whatever", on its own, does sound off-hand, dismissive, and borderline rude. I'd personally avoid it. If someone asked me a question, to which I really had no opinion, then I'd find some other way of answering.
I'm assuming you weren't born in the UK? Usually it's not even "Are you alright", it'll be simply "alright". The best way I can describe it is simply as acknowledging someone's presence in a polite way, the correct response is either to repeat "alright" or "yeah, you" to which they usually won't answer.
It does not mean "Are you okay?" at all. Most similar American phrase I can think of is "Howdy".
I would say that its a very *curt* way of saying "I do not give a damn, do whatever you like, just stop bothering me with that bull".
It's quite dismissive, "I cannot even be bothered to formulate an entire sentence go away"
Apparently he was a lot more articulate in the original Japanese version but the translator couldn't be arsed so just made him say '...whatever...' instead of writing the dialogue.
Not appropriate.
What kind of questions are you being asked? If it's the same question over and over maybe a process needs to be changed.
I get it. A lot of office "work" is people emailing each other, or is this in person?
I used to say it way too much, back when Friends was popular. In my mind it meant 'life is too short to worry about the little things and differences of opinion'.
But then it was pointed out to me by an older person that I respected, that it came across as 'I don't care what you think or say'. I stopped saying it that day.
Well I think you had an example there of the sort of person who gets bent out of shape over trivial things. I find more people aren‘t quite that way and easily offended. Tone of voice and body language are important but I’ve said, “whatever,” a lot without causing offence.
>an almost polite way to say: "I do not give a damn, do whatever you like, just stop bothering me with that bull".
Unfortunately if this is the reason you're saying "whatever", your tone may well make that clear and yeah that is considered rude.
>In case, can somebody tell me what kind of people would be supposed to use that word, and maybe suggest an alternative answer?
Honestly, there isn't really a polite way to brush someone off who is bothering you. You could try telling them that you'd love to chat but you sadly don't have the time and make your exit away from them that way - but do this repeatedly and they are gonna click onto the fact that you're avoiding them.
Anyone who remembers the 90’s/00’s with chavs saying ‘wotevaaaa’ in response to anything they disliked/disagreed with/wanted to mock will take it as an insult if it’s said on its own.
If you're not a native speaker, avoid using "whatever" in *any* situation where being sarcastic, dismissive or rude would be taken badly. There are other ways to say what you mean without expressing something you don't mean.
It’s quite blunt, most people would say something else. Maybe ‘I don’t mind’ or ‘I don’t have a preference’ would be better.
But I work with some non-native English speakers who can occasionally come across as rude because of the words they use when it’s clear they don’t mean to, and I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. Sounds like your colleagues would do well to think about that.
I feel the same. Decent video on this topic - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzFdvv6hDno](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzFdvv6hDno)
Adjusting pitch level and stress on the syllables. Saying, “whatever” where you adjust the pitch during the middle of the word and stress the second and third syllables and it sounds more like an, ”I don’t mind” reply.
Depends. *Shoulder shrug* "whatever" in response to "which chocolate bar you want from the shops?" Is fine.
"Whatever" in reply to being told a story suggests disbelief
"Whatever" in reply to a polite request to do something seems petulant
"Whatever" when replying to drunk idiot being drunk will probably get you headbutted.
Depends on the question or statement preceeding it.
"I'm going to the vending machine, what do you want?"
"Whatever."
Or
"I'm not happy with your work rate"
"Whatever."
The first response is a challenge to get them the worst thing or most bizarre choice in the vending machine
The second response is a challenge to fire them
It all depends on what is being asked of you, we need a bit more context. For instance in your example if I asked you a question and you replied whatever I would take that as being a bit rude. For another example if I asked you “ do you want to get some dinner from this place or this place whatever wouldn’t be rude it just means you don’t mind either. I hope this makes some sense
"Whatever" as an answer is considered quite rude, and you'll normally only hear teenagers/kids say it in their angst phase.
I would avoid it entirely, you don't want to accidentally upset people.
You might actually be better off telling them to do what they like and stop bothering you, both will come across as rude but whatever also comes across as childish. If you’re not trying to be rude then either explain your position better or tell them you’ll leave it to them to sort out.
Whatever means "I do not give a damn, do whatever you like, just stop bothering me with that bull".
It's not a polite way of saying it. That's exactly what it means
"*Which*ever" with a "I don't mind/it's up to you" taped on the end.
Saying "Whatever" on its own is kind of blunt. Probably fine among colleagues/peers in some situations though. Go with "Oh, do whatever" or "Whatever you like".
It has a contemptuous tone. It can imply that you don't really care about what the other person is saying, dismissing their thoughts and feelings as unimportant and irrelevant. This dismissiveness can come across as disrespectful and can easily offend or upset the person on the receiving end.
You know those weird/annoying little sayings that couples have? With my ex I used to quote Denzel Washington in Training Day and say "Yeah whatever, whatever the fuck ever." Maybe it could work for you!
I would say that "whatever" on its own could be seen as dismissive, but something like "I'm fine with whatever" or "whatever you want" is likely to get across what you intend.
Well, I was going to say it isn't polite, but there are some situations in which it isn't offensive.
Whatever = ignoring you
vs
Whatever = anything is fine with me (maybe less common)
It's definitely a tone and facial expression issue. If you say it snappy or disinterested it'll be rude. It sounds like you don't care in a negative way.
If you're upbeat and have the facial expression to match, I think it's fine. You're saying "I'm good with anything" which is not caring in a positive way.
I have a friend who says this to any question asked - they think they're being helpful by going along with whatever but in reality it drives me mad because sometimes I just want them to make a decision.
It's the kind of response I would expect from my teenager, not a colleague in a professional setting, passive aggressive and sulky (similar age to you).
I think context, tone and inflection of the voice plays a bit part. If I'm having a polite conversation and ask someone, "What would you like to do or have for lunch?" and they say "Whatever!" I'm not going to take that as rude. But if we're having a difference of opinion, then "whatever" is dismissive and basically "I don't give a shit about what you think".
'Whatever', in a work situation, can seem flippant and rude. 'I do not mind' or 'Happy for that to be your call' etc may be more positive ways to say this.
If someone was offering to get a can of soda and they ask if you preferred coke or Pepsi, 'whatever' might be an OK response, if in an upbeat tone.
"I don't mind" is so much nicer to say. If you said "whatever" to me I would take it as rude or you're too up yourself to give me a couple of moments of your time at work.
Usually “whatever” is considered rude, and indicates that you can’t be bothered to engage with the question.
Which is indeed really what you mean by “stop bothering me with that bull”.
More polite would be “I don’t mind” or “I have no preference” or “I will be happy to go along with whatever choice you make” etc..
As everyone else said, it’s not polite and is considered rude to say ‘whatever’ on its own.
However if you include ‘whatever’ in a sentence it’s normally considered a polite way of suggesting you’re not too concerned about the topic, for example;
Yes, do whatever you feel is best.
"whatever" risks being rude, but it depends on context/tone. If you add it as "I don't mind, whatever you like", for example, it's more likely to be ok.
'Whatever' or "I dont care" is low level rude and not appropriate for an office situation unless you really want to show someone that they have pissed you off.
It is something stroppy teenagers would say ie, Mum: "please clean your room", teenager: "ugh, whatever!!". Or a dissmissive reply in a verbal fight ie, person 1: "ill come over there and punch you", person 2: "whatever!".
In your situation where someone is bothering you, I would go for something like in a slighly annoyed tone: "I dont mind, I have no preferance, which ever you prefer" or just a simple uninterested "okay" and carry on with what you where doing. If they are bugging you loads, you could say "Im sorry, but I cant chat at the moment"
Yeah it's a bit rude. "Oh okay" would be better. It still gives that "I don't care" aspect but is less soft.
You could also go with something like "If that's what you think is best" or "Whatever you think is best".
Definitely depends on tone of voice, lighthearted breathy whatever, with a smile is fine and polite enough, but a deeper or harsher tone would be rude imo
You’re right with your assumption.
It’s all about tone and body language with this word as a response. You can say it without being offensive or antagonistic. I think some people are being very old school with their replies here. Say it with a smile or shake your head slightly and put an inflection on the second and third syllables and it sounds more like you’re saying, ”I don’t mind.”
Other alternatives include I don’t mind; I‘m not fussed; whatever works for you.
I'd go as far as saying there's *always* a more polite and a better answer than "whatever". Not that it's always rude, or meant in a rude way, but if you're giving a single word/very short response, "either", "anything", "don't mind" etc. are so much better.
Whatever to me is like a dated “diss”. Girls used to say it at school to put others down “Whatever”. So definitely not okay by itself, but okay as part of a reasonable sentence.
It does have exactly the meaning you've explained, but would not be considered polite at all. In the situation you described, a brief nod and 'okay' or 'possibly' might be acceptable.
Aaaagh, my 87 year old father says this and it annoys the f*ck out of me as he says it in this sort of fake cockney/bovver boy voice…I could strangle him!
I have ended relationships over people's use of the word "whatever". Want to go for a nice meal? Fancy the cinema? Wanna come over? All met with a "whatever", they may as well say I don't give a fuck.
Kinda dependant on context and how you say it. "Whatever..." in a bored tone on its own to a question like "do you want to go out tonight?" seems dismissive and like you don't care about it in an offensive way.
On the other hand having a question like "Do you want to see an action or thriller movie tonight? could have the answer of "Whatever!" in a more jovial or higher pitched reply makes it seem more like "Whatever, I don't mind, what do you want to see?" which is a much more positive reply making it show that you don't care but are engaged in the activity still. That being said I would still generally not use "Whatever" on its own unless you are familiar to the other person, even if you really don't care it's more polite to say "Don't mind" or Whatever you want" depending on the question asked.
You know you're being rude, it's obviously being dismissive. If you said sure, whatever I would accept it but just "whatever" is juvenile and obviously rude
It’s definitely not polite to say whatever. I think you could piss a few people off, especially if your tone and body language is dismissive. It’s how a bratty teenager speaks to their parents, not how colleagues talk to each other at work. You need to be better than “I do not give a damn, stop bothering me with your BS”. You may feel that way, but best keep it professional.
Depends on the tone of voice you use, i say it all the time to friends / people I'm close too. If you didn't know someone it could come across as a bit blunt, but really not a big issue.
I think "yeah, whatever" sounds a less blunt than "whatever"
When I worked in a coffee shop I once was asked to do a specific closing duty and I replied "Sure, whatever"
Three managers each asked why I was being so rude and to this day I don't understand their attitude.
I think too many people don't actually analyse responses and make assumptions based upon previous conversation. My response was a shortened version of "sure, whatever you want / need" but they chose to take it differently.
It makes even less sense considering I was talking candidly, so I have no idea why they thought I was giving attitude.
Generally yes, dismissuve and ignorant Work setting right ? Where is your manegment cadence ? You have asked someone to do something and they have refused?Escalate to their manager
Alternative (calm passive )answer - ok that's not the answer I was expecting, if you can't help, I'll speak to your manager to clear it up!
Yes, it's rude. And your explanation doesn't really help ("I do not give a damn, do whatever you like, just stop bothering me with that bull.") That's how people will intepret it; they'll think that you're not a helpful person or a team player.
Try to be a bit more polite and professional. "Whatever you think is best is fine." "I have no preference. Either one is fine." Something like that.
It depends entirely on the tone:
“I’m grabbing us some crisps, what flavour?”
“Whatever” (said it a cheery polite tone) is just shorthand for ‘I don’t mind’.
“Did you clean your room? Mum will back later so you haven’t got much time”
“Whatever” (said in a sarcastic tone) rude and disrespectful, means ‘I don’t care about what you’re saying’
i think it depends on the question.
‘hey, what kind of pizza do you want’-> ‘eh… whatever’ (sounds ok to me)
‘what do you think about my idea?’ -> ‘eh… whatever’ (sounds rude to me)
tone matters a lot though.
Lots of really interesting replies here from totally acceptable, to a complete no no.
I did actually say something like this in the past week or so. There was a group email from our manager asking something in regards to shuffling work around or something, can't quite remember, but my reply was 'yeah, I'm happy to do whatever'. Did I mean fuck you stop emailing? I most certainly did not, it was literally a I'll pick up the shit you don't get a volunteer for. Could I have said it better? Yup, probably, but we're a bunch of techs and cba with long arse email conversations, we're too busy building reports and answering questions on our data!
My late dad (born 1953) thought it was an Americanism and also very rude, but I feel it is pretty commonplace among my peers and neutral.
"What you you want for tea?" "whatever." - fine among me and my fiancee and means "I am open to all options." But if I said it to my dad he would think it means "I don't care, stop bothering me" and he might've even replied "fine, make your own damn tea!"
But if you said, "I am really concerned about my mum's cancer," and I replied, "what-ever" then that would be rude. It might be inappropriate for older people or in a professional setting.
So later, I'm-, I'm at the pool hall and this girl comes up
And she's all like, "Uhh, " and I'm like, "Yeah, whatever!"
or for another reference:
You got ears on your face like spock in space!
You got teeth in your head like Mr Ed!
Everybody knows you put fleas in cheese, mix them with glue and use it like shampoo! What? Ping-pong... why am I saying ping-pong?
Ping-pong Ping-pong Ping-pong!
Whatever! whatever! What -ever!
I hear it often (and probably say it more than i should) as short for "whatever you like is fine". Luckily I feel everyone around me gets the correct message
No, just "whatever" on its own is kind of rude, but then it sounds in your explanation like you mean to be rude? "Whatever" on its own might sound dismissive, more like "do whatever the fuck you like, I don't care and I don't know why you're telling me this".
Just changing ‘whatever’ to ‘whatever you’d prefer’ I think completely changes the tone. I’d recommend just use that.
I think it depends on what you’re being asked and how you say it. If someone says “we’re ordering food, would you prefer Chinese or Indian?” then I think you can just respond “whatever” as long as your tone of voice doesn’t sound rude. You’re right though that saying it on its own can sound rude. In that situation for example, even if you said “whatever, I don’t mind either way” it’s much friendlier.
Chinese or Indian? Polite answer would be “Either” or “I don’t mind” rather than “whatevs!” But you are right tone of voice makes a big difference.
I think tone of voice is often more important than actual content of words when it comes to politeness. A nice toned “would you mind passing me the salt?” is more polite than a “pass me the salt please” in my opinion, for example.
Weird how in your example for tone>content you changed the content of the words so it sounds more polite
Fair point! I think what I was getting at is that some people tend to treat politeness as a binary thing where if the word please is there it’s automatically polite, and if it’s not there then it’s impolite no matter how nicely it’s phrased. So I was trying to give examples of both those things.
And then some people don't believe in politeness at all, 'Can I get...' in restaurants does my head in, or worse just reeling off your order without any form of question. "Could I have... please?" is not so out of anyone's way to say.
Yeah, there are tons of other ways to say the same thing but come across as polite (or just not rude): - maybe?! - could be! - you might be right! - who knows - possibly - I don’t know about that - you never know - ok mate - each to their own I suppose Those are all fine to cause a break in the conversation. Follow up with a question or another topic and you have led the conversation away from where it was to where you might want it to be. Or just walk away.
My preferred response is “as you wish”
Ok Westley.
They said "a polite way to say..."
"I'm happy for you to make that call" "I trust you to make this decision" "Whatever you prefer is fine" "I really have no preference either way" Saying "whatever" on its own is a bit rude.
*I trust you to make this decision =* If it goes wrong you're fired.
Management Basics, Lesson 1
When I was starting out in my career our team had a meeting with our director who said; "don’t be afraid to make decisions in my absence, I can always fix them when I get back" they were not being funny.
‘Whichever’ instead of ‘whatever’ also takes the edge off massively.
I was going to say this. I always use "whichever!" With a slightly more upbeat tone, I've never had a misunderstanding.
Came here to suggest that for some reason, "whichever" is much more polite than "whatever". A bit like the difference between "I don't mind" and "I don't care".
Man, I never considered that one before but it's so true. English is a very strange language sometimes!
Thanks appreciated
Whatever
I'm not too bothered?
https://youtu.be/WxB1gB6K-2A?si=V5qD7XXy6jDqkb-6 Faceth? Bothereth? Looketh?
Yeah, we forgot the most british of all. AM I BOVVERED THOUGH?! Lol
Great answer, whatever is dismissive imo
I guess it depends on the tone of voice you use when you say it
Precisely this. Something like "Yep, whatever" can sound confirmatory and unfussed, whilst "whatever" can be dismissive and uninterested when not accompanied with an upbeat tone. However I'd personally stay away from it all together in a professional context to avoid potential misunderstanding.
It needs to be in the right context. For example a manager asks you to do something and you answer "Yes, whatever you want". Just "Whatever" that the OP asked about is dismissive and rude..
Whatever you want still can be interpreted badly. Best just to avoid whatever. It’s mainly about tone of voice but if the manager suspected you didn’t like them beforehand, they could interpret really anything negatively so best to make it as hard for them to do that as possible.
Yea, that’s hard disagree in an office setting (or even personal, tbh). “Whatever you think is best” or “whatever works” can be fine, but whatever by itself is just as OP describes it (“fuck off, I don’t care”).
As demonstrated [in this piece](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEjHJXd8bpU)
Whatever with a shrug is different to whatever with a sigh or eye roll.
In an office setting, it's still not polite. Especially if all you're saying is "whatever" then it's extremely dismissive. A more business friendly way to say what you want might be something like "I'll leave it up to you to decide". If you still want to use "whatever" then make it part of a much longer sentence: "I'm fine with whatever you decide".
"Whatevs" 😬
Wevs
Whatever, Trevor.
Meh-whevs
Go full Californian: Whateverrrrr
Is that the same as the one where you pause more after "what" "What......Everrrrrrr"
I think they're different. I think "What.... everrrrrr" is even more dismissive than "whateverrrr". I think "Whateverrrr" implies more frustration, accompanied with perhaps throwing your head back like a frustrated teen.
Don't forget to make a W with your thumbs and pointer fingers while you say it! Throw in an eyeroll while you're at it.
Whatever, Minger
As a kid I used whatever mcdonalds worker, and that how I realised I was born middle class
I was middle class and used minger lol, what castle did you grow up in?
Whatever trevor
Maybe this is because I don't come from a particularly corporate background, but tonally "yeah, whatever" or "yeah, whatever really!" is really normal in environments I've worked in. 'Do whatever' also pretty common. But maybe that's regional, or just because my managers preferred to straight talk
"Yeah, whatever really!" Tonally sounds so much better somehow. A true "I don't mind", rather than "I don't care".
It somehow feels very British. I probably heard it a lot cos I was doing design work - you get used to pretty blunt statements and people are often unsure of what they want
Intonation, I think, is extremely key. I could say, "yeah, whatever" with a flat intonation and it's still dismissive and rude. But I can also say, "yeah, whatever!" with a lifting intonation and now it's friendly but informal. Often people who are non-native speakers can really struggle to know how to use the exact kind of intonation necessary to ensure the "hidden message" is carried along with the words. Or even if they *know* how, sometimes it just still doesn't get across, even if they *think* they're doing it right. So sometimes it's just safer to use clearer, less informal phrasing. Especially in a business setting where you don't want to risk upsetting a client or your boss.
That's true - getting the intonation right would be extremely difficult non-natively because you have to get that lilt just right. And I suppose if you're dealing with international clients as well, it's much better to be totally clear cut.
Context and tone make a huge difference though. What's being asked, by who and why. If they need your input and you just 'whatever' them that's not good. If they're just asking for a preference of something fairly trivial then it's a different thing.
Depends on the context I suppose For most times, especially if it’s in work, yeah it’s basically a nicer way of saying “I don’t give a fuck” But if you’re asking someone, your other half say, what they would like for dinner, or what shop they want to go in when shopping, then I’d take it as “I’m not too bothered/you choose”
Depends what the question was. If it was, “X, can you file those TPS reports today please?” then “whatever” would be a rude reponse. If it was “where shall we go for lunch today?” then it’s not really rude but most people would say “I don’t mind” or “I don’t have a preference”.
Uhhh yeah I’m going to need those TPS reports, mmkay?
Most people would say “Chotchkie’s”, obvs.
It is a more polite way to phrase "stop bothering me with that bull". But that whole concept is quite rude, regardless of the words you use.
Yes, it’s more polite than having a stapler thrown at you. :D
Uhhh yeah I’m going to need those TPS reports, mmkay?
I know right? Is this how OP speaks to people? He sounds like a dick
I can't think of a single scenario in an office where a colleague responding with "whatever" wouldn't make me think they were being rude
“What’s your favourite Oasis song?”
Whatever
Rude
Really? I have 15 years’ experience of that environment and it’s said a lot without causing offence. Mind you most of that 15 years was in Wales so perhaps that explains it 🤣
There's two ways to pronounce it. To me it seems less rude when the emphasis is on the 'ever', rather than the 'what'.
Completely agree. A stress on the second and third syllables and change of pitch for those definitely helps convey it in more of a, “I don’t mind,” meaning.
There aren't really any ways to say "stop bothering me with that bull" which are 100% polite. If you want people to stop bothering you with pointless crap, maybe an office job isn't for you.
It's not really polite (to me at least). A more polite way would be to just say "OK".
Correct. It is quite dismissive/rude, but it will depend on the tone/body language too. It's a sign of irritation with the question being asked. It's used typically by teenagers, rolling their eyes at their parents. I don't think "whatever" as a word is the problem, it will be because of how short the answer is.
I agree "whatever" or "fine, whatever" means either "I'm annoyed with you and feel like you don't care about my opinion" or "I'm not willing to make any effort to engage with this". It's only slightly better than just blanking someone entirely. "Whatever you think is fine" would be the polite way to express OP's sentiment.
In my opinion you're mostly correct... However I doubt it would be received as particularly polite!
Definitely use "am I bovvered?" instead.
Right answer! 😆
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz7\_3n7xyDg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz7_3n7xyDg)
How was this buried so far down? 😂
I bet I know what this link will be… Edit: I knew it! How is this now 22 years old? I remember this being a record of the week on Radio 1.
r/BeatMeToIt
'Whatever' was proven to be the most annoying word in the English language, generally causing upset and anger. It's a word that shows you can't be bothered to engage with the speaker.
"Whatever" is probably the rudest answer it's possible to give without straying into profanity, depending on tone of voice, but the meaning is fundamentally exactly what you think. Better would be something along the lines of "I do not mind, take the action you think best" or "I have no preference", or other words to that effect depending on what they're actually asking. Of course if your intent is to make them sod off and stop bothering you with that bull, then "Whatever" is perfect, just make sure your tone of voice is suitably dismissive so they understand that both they and the topic are beneath your contempt.
It’s appropriate to say “oh, whatever you want” or “whatever you think is best” or “whatever is needed”, not not just “whatever”. You might get away with it if, say, someone says “what type of sandwich do you want from the buffet?” and you say “whatever is fine, thanks!” but not just “whatever”.
Spoken English can be exceedingly complicated, sometimes even for native speakers. There are all sorts of regional and social quirks that occasionally baffle "outsiders." I personally find it a bit strange when a retail shop employee asks me "Are you alright?" when I'm looking at the products for sale. (Do I look sick, or upset about something? No. I'm just considering whether or not I want to buy a pair of socks.) As a born native-speaker of English, I agree with you. "Whatever", on its own, does sound off-hand, dismissive, and borderline rude. I'd personally avoid it. If someone asked me a question, to which I really had no opinion, then I'd find some other way of answering.
I'm assuming you weren't born in the UK? Usually it's not even "Are you alright", it'll be simply "alright". The best way I can describe it is simply as acknowledging someone's presence in a polite way, the correct response is either to repeat "alright" or "yeah, you" to which they usually won't answer. It does not mean "Are you okay?" at all. Most similar American phrase I can think of is "Howdy".
Exactly why the response to “How do you do?” Is always “How do you do?” And not “Not too good actually, my gammy toe is really playing up”
I would say that its a very *curt* way of saying "I do not give a damn, do whatever you like, just stop bothering me with that bull". It's quite dismissive, "I cannot even be bothered to formulate an entire sentence go away"
It’s rude and dismissive but sounds like you mean it to be anyway?
I don't know what some of these top answers are huffing, but responding "whatever" isn't really ever even close to polite regardless of context.
Only if your name is Squall
Apparently he was a lot more articulate in the original Japanese version but the translator couldn't be arsed so just made him say '...whatever...' instead of writing the dialogue.
It sounds very much like this to me: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV1zK8zRCPo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV1zK8zRCPo)
Depends on context. It's safer to say "I don't mind"
Not appropriate. What kind of questions are you being asked? If it's the same question over and over maybe a process needs to be changed. I get it. A lot of office "work" is people emailing each other, or is this in person?
I used to say it way too much, back when Friends was popular. In my mind it meant 'life is too short to worry about the little things and differences of opinion'. But then it was pointed out to me by an older person that I respected, that it came across as 'I don't care what you think or say'. I stopped saying it that day.
Haha this is quite hilarious. Is English a second language? Good thing on that older person correcting you instead of just being pissed.
Well I think you had an example there of the sort of person who gets bent out of shape over trivial things. I find more people aren‘t quite that way and easily offended. Tone of voice and body language are important but I’ve said, “whatever,” a lot without causing offence.
>an almost polite way to say: "I do not give a damn, do whatever you like, just stop bothering me with that bull". Unfortunately if this is the reason you're saying "whatever", your tone may well make that clear and yeah that is considered rude. >In case, can somebody tell me what kind of people would be supposed to use that word, and maybe suggest an alternative answer? Honestly, there isn't really a polite way to brush someone off who is bothering you. You could try telling them that you'd love to chat but you sadly don't have the time and make your exit away from them that way - but do this repeatedly and they are gonna click onto the fact that you're avoiding them.
Anyone who remembers the 90’s/00’s with chavs saying ‘wotevaaaa’ in response to anything they disliked/disagreed with/wanted to mock will take it as an insult if it’s said on its own.
If you're not a native speaker, avoid using "whatever" in *any* situation where being sarcastic, dismissive or rude would be taken badly. There are other ways to say what you mean without expressing something you don't mean.
>polite Not in the least, it's from the Jerry Springer Show and similar, considered to be very rude, bordering on confrontational.
It’s quite blunt, most people would say something else. Maybe ‘I don’t mind’ or ‘I don’t have a preference’ would be better. But I work with some non-native English speakers who can occasionally come across as rude because of the words they use when it’s clear they don’t mean to, and I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. Sounds like your colleagues would do well to think about that.
Yeah, affliction makes it. “Yeah whatever” in an enthusiastic voice “Whatever” in a lower tone.
I feel the same. Decent video on this topic - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzFdvv6hDno](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzFdvv6hDno) Adjusting pitch level and stress on the syllables. Saying, “whatever” where you adjust the pitch during the middle of the word and stress the second and third syllables and it sounds more like an, ”I don’t mind” reply.
It's seen as incredibly rude Edit - and that attitude will be seen as unprofessional
It's absolutely fine if you are within your United States of whatever.
Depends. *Shoulder shrug* "whatever" in response to "which chocolate bar you want from the shops?" Is fine. "Whatever" in reply to being told a story suggests disbelief "Whatever" in reply to a polite request to do something seems petulant "Whatever" when replying to drunk idiot being drunk will probably get you headbutted.
Depends on the question or statement preceeding it. "I'm going to the vending machine, what do you want?" "Whatever." Or "I'm not happy with your work rate" "Whatever."
The first response is a challenge to get them the worst thing or most bizarre choice in the vending machine The second response is a challenge to fire them
Okay
It all depends on what is being asked of you, we need a bit more context. For instance in your example if I asked you a question and you replied whatever I would take that as being a bit rude. For another example if I asked you “ do you want to get some dinner from this place or this place whatever wouldn’t be rude it just means you don’t mind either. I hope this makes some sense
*Well, good luck with* *that.*
Pfff whatever
Whatever means, i dont care. You choose. Your call. I'll leave it up to you.
"Whatever" as an answer is considered quite rude, and you'll normally only hear teenagers/kids say it in their angst phase. I would avoid it entirely, you don't want to accidentally upset people.
Go for a neutral "okay" instead. People will get that you want them to bugger off, but won't be too offended.
You might actually be better off telling them to do what they like and stop bothering you, both will come across as rude but whatever also comes across as childish. If you’re not trying to be rude then either explain your position better or tell them you’ll leave it to them to sort out.
Whatever means "I do not give a damn, do whatever you like, just stop bothering me with that bull". It's not a polite way of saying it. That's exactly what it means
If I’m not intentionally being rude and saying whatever, then I’d be saying it in a jokey tone. Just saying it as a one word response would be rude
"*Which*ever" with a "I don't mind/it's up to you" taped on the end. Saying "Whatever" on its own is kind of blunt. Probably fine among colleagues/peers in some situations though. Go with "Oh, do whatever" or "Whatever you like".
No
I think for the sake of clarity I would avoid using it and phrase it a different way unless you intend to be abrasive.
You've basically got the context right yes. But it's not polite.
It has a contemptuous tone. It can imply that you don't really care about what the other person is saying, dismissing their thoughts and feelings as unimportant and irrelevant. This dismissiveness can come across as disrespectful and can easily offend or upset the person on the receiving end.
You know those weird/annoying little sayings that couples have? With my ex I used to quote Denzel Washington in Training Day and say "Yeah whatever, whatever the fuck ever." Maybe it could work for you!
I would say that "whatever" on its own could be seen as dismissive, but something like "I'm fine with whatever" or "whatever you want" is likely to get across what you intend.
I use it when im annoyed with someone. They then that im pissed off
Whatever.
Whatever is a disrespectful and dismissive response and I find it plain rude
I wouldn’t say it’s polite. It’s dismissive and on the verge of being disrespectful depending on context and tone
Well, I was going to say it isn't polite, but there are some situations in which it isn't offensive. Whatever = ignoring you vs Whatever = anything is fine with me (maybe less common)
Then I'm throwing dice in the alley Officer Leroy comes up and he's like "Hey, I thought I told you..." And I'm like "Yeah, whatever!"
It's definitely a tone and facial expression issue. If you say it snappy or disinterested it'll be rude. It sounds like you don't care in a negative way. If you're upbeat and have the facial expression to match, I think it's fine. You're saying "I'm good with anything" which is not caring in a positive way.
You can say "I don't mind" or "I'm easy" in a more informal context also
I have a friend who says this to any question asked - they think they're being helpful by going along with whatever but in reality it drives me mad because sometimes I just want them to make a decision.
Yea, saying whatever, is in my book, basically saying 'fuck off'.
"Whichever you prefer", "I'm easy either way" "whatever" sounds a bit too much like a sullen teen
'go with whatever you think is best'
Yeah it's not polite. It's equivalent to saying 'I don't care'
It's the kind of response I would expect from my teenager, not a colleague in a professional setting, passive aggressive and sulky (similar age to you).
I think context, tone and inflection of the voice plays a bit part. If I'm having a polite conversation and ask someone, "What would you like to do or have for lunch?" and they say "Whatever!" I'm not going to take that as rude. But if we're having a difference of opinion, then "whatever" is dismissive and basically "I don't give a shit about what you think".
Very rude, like a petulant child. I would expect you to stamp your feet and storm off as well.
'Whatever', in a work situation, can seem flippant and rude. 'I do not mind' or 'Happy for that to be your call' etc may be more positive ways to say this. If someone was offering to get a can of soda and they ask if you preferred coke or Pepsi, 'whatever' might be an OK response, if in an upbeat tone.
Reads rude without any kind of buffer words
"I don't mind" is so much nicer to say. If you said "whatever" to me I would take it as rude or you're too up yourself to give me a couple of moments of your time at work.
Can either be "I don't mind" or "I'm not interested" depending on the preceeding question and the tone used in the reply.
Appropriate if you’re 14.👍
ow shit, thanks
No its rude on its own lol. If your trying to say a polite way of it, i’d say ‘whatever you think is best’ or ‘yeah, I dont mind either way’ :)
Usually “whatever” is considered rude, and indicates that you can’t be bothered to engage with the question. Which is indeed really what you mean by “stop bothering me with that bull”. More polite would be “I don’t mind” or “I have no preference” or “I will be happy to go along with whatever choice you make” etc..
"Whatever Trevor" is the correct usage
As everyone else said, it’s not polite and is considered rude to say ‘whatever’ on its own. However if you include ‘whatever’ in a sentence it’s normally considered a polite way of suggesting you’re not too concerned about the topic, for example; Yes, do whatever you feel is best.
"whatever" risks being rude, but it depends on context/tone. If you add it as "I don't mind, whatever you like", for example, it's more likely to be ok.
Intonation is everything, can mostly be taken as rude but in the right context and the right intonation it is perfectly acceptable. Language is weird
'Whatever' or "I dont care" is low level rude and not appropriate for an office situation unless you really want to show someone that they have pissed you off. It is something stroppy teenagers would say ie, Mum: "please clean your room", teenager: "ugh, whatever!!". Or a dissmissive reply in a verbal fight ie, person 1: "ill come over there and punch you", person 2: "whatever!". In your situation where someone is bothering you, I would go for something like in a slighly annoyed tone: "I dont mind, I have no preferance, which ever you prefer" or just a simple uninterested "okay" and carry on with what you where doing. If they are bugging you loads, you could say "Im sorry, but I cant chat at the moment"
"as you like" is the polite way to say this.
Yeah it's a bit rude. "Oh okay" would be better. It still gives that "I don't care" aspect but is less soft. You could also go with something like "If that's what you think is best" or "Whatever you think is best".
Definitely depends on tone of voice, lighthearted breathy whatever, with a smile is fine and polite enough, but a deeper or harsher tone would be rude imo
That’s what it means, but in no way is it polite. You may as well tell them to “fuck off”.
"I was at the beach and saw KeeKee. She was like "Ew Ew" And I was like "Whatever ""
You’re right with your assumption. It’s all about tone and body language with this word as a response. You can say it without being offensive or antagonistic. I think some people are being very old school with their replies here. Say it with a smile or shake your head slightly and put an inflection on the second and third syllables and it sounds more like you’re saying, ”I don’t mind.” Other alternatives include I don’t mind; I‘m not fussed; whatever works for you.
Comes from chav tv. And is basic, yet accurate.
I'd go as far as saying there's *always* a more polite and a better answer than "whatever". Not that it's always rude, or meant in a rude way, but if you're giving a single word/very short response, "either", "anything", "don't mind" etc. are so much better.
Whatever to me is like a dated “diss”. Girls used to say it at school to put others down “Whatever”. So definitely not okay by itself, but okay as part of a reasonable sentence.
Whatever varies verbally, can be perfectly fine, can be rude. When written or in text it is usually rude
It’s the foundational response of a GenX’er
oh hell no no no no, I do not want to sound like one of them
It does have exactly the meaning you've explained, but would not be considered polite at all. In the situation you described, a brief nod and 'okay' or 'possibly' might be acceptable.
Aaaagh, my 87 year old father says this and it annoys the f*ck out of me as he says it in this sort of fake cockney/bovver boy voice…I could strangle him!
Yes, it’s rude. Say “whatever you like“. Or “either way works for me“.
Not polite unless you're talking about getting food.
Sure, or... whatever.
I have ended relationships over people's use of the word "whatever". Want to go for a nice meal? Fancy the cinema? Wanna come over? All met with a "whatever", they may as well say I don't give a fuck.
Kinda dependant on context and how you say it. "Whatever..." in a bored tone on its own to a question like "do you want to go out tonight?" seems dismissive and like you don't care about it in an offensive way. On the other hand having a question like "Do you want to see an action or thriller movie tonight? could have the answer of "Whatever!" in a more jovial or higher pitched reply makes it seem more like "Whatever, I don't mind, what do you want to see?" which is a much more positive reply making it show that you don't care but are engaged in the activity still. That being said I would still generally not use "Whatever" on its own unless you are familiar to the other person, even if you really don't care it's more polite to say "Don't mind" or Whatever you want" depending on the question asked.
Whatever is rude and dismissive. Try saying “I don’t mind” instead to be polite
You know you're being rude, it's obviously being dismissive. If you said sure, whatever I would accept it but just "whatever" is juvenile and obviously rude
U say ‘whatever’ when someone is talking to you, is rude asf 😂
It’s definitely not polite to say whatever. I think you could piss a few people off, especially if your tone and body language is dismissive. It’s how a bratty teenager speaks to their parents, not how colleagues talk to each other at work. You need to be better than “I do not give a damn, stop bothering me with your BS”. You may feel that way, but best keep it professional.
Definitely would be miffed if someone just said that to me. "I don't have an opinion so you can make the call" is a better way
It means exactly what you wanted to to mean. Which is rude.
Whatever
Depends on the tone of voice you use, i say it all the time to friends / people I'm close too. If you didn't know someone it could come across as a bit blunt, but really not a big issue. I think "yeah, whatever" sounds a less blunt than "whatever"
When I worked in a coffee shop I once was asked to do a specific closing duty and I replied "Sure, whatever" Three managers each asked why I was being so rude and to this day I don't understand their attitude. I think too many people don't actually analyse responses and make assumptions based upon previous conversation. My response was a shortened version of "sure, whatever you want / need" but they chose to take it differently. It makes even less sense considering I was talking candidly, so I have no idea why they thought I was giving attitude.
Generally yes, dismissuve and ignorant Work setting right ? Where is your manegment cadence ? You have asked someone to do something and they have refused?Escalate to their manager Alternative (calm passive )answer - ok that's not the answer I was expecting, if you can't help, I'll speak to your manager to clear it up!
Wha'evahhhh
Whatever sounds like your Vicky Pollard, try "I don't mind" or "I'm not fussed either way"
Depends on the tone you say it with. It can be relaxed like saying I don't mind or it can mean you don't give a shit. It's all in the delivery.
I've always viewed "whatever" as a dismissive fuck off kinda comment .
Yes, it's rude. And your explanation doesn't really help ("I do not give a damn, do whatever you like, just stop bothering me with that bull.") That's how people will intepret it; they'll think that you're not a helpful person or a team player. Try to be a bit more polite and professional. "Whatever you think is best is fine." "I have no preference. Either one is fine." Something like that.
You are the reason - Calum Scott
Tonality matters. You can easily say "whatever" and not be seen as rude.
It depends entirely on the tone: “I’m grabbing us some crisps, what flavour?” “Whatever” (said it a cheery polite tone) is just shorthand for ‘I don’t mind’. “Did you clean your room? Mum will back later so you haven’t got much time” “Whatever” (said in a sarcastic tone) rude and disrespectful, means ‘I don’t care about what you’re saying’
i think it depends on the question. ‘hey, what kind of pizza do you want’-> ‘eh… whatever’ (sounds ok to me) ‘what do you think about my idea?’ -> ‘eh… whatever’ (sounds rude to me) tone matters a lot though.
Lots of really interesting replies here from totally acceptable, to a complete no no. I did actually say something like this in the past week or so. There was a group email from our manager asking something in regards to shuffling work around or something, can't quite remember, but my reply was 'yeah, I'm happy to do whatever'. Did I mean fuck you stop emailing? I most certainly did not, it was literally a I'll pick up the shit you don't get a volunteer for. Could I have said it better? Yup, probably, but we're a bunch of techs and cba with long arse email conversations, we're too busy building reports and answering questions on our data!
My late dad (born 1953) thought it was an Americanism and also very rude, but I feel it is pretty commonplace among my peers and neutral. "What you you want for tea?" "whatever." - fine among me and my fiancee and means "I am open to all options." But if I said it to my dad he would think it means "I don't care, stop bothering me" and he might've even replied "fine, make your own damn tea!" But if you said, "I am really concerned about my mum's cancer," and I replied, "what-ever" then that would be rude. It might be inappropriate for older people or in a professional setting. So later, I'm-, I'm at the pool hall and this girl comes up And she's all like, "Uhh, " and I'm like, "Yeah, whatever!" or for another reference: You got ears on your face like spock in space! You got teeth in your head like Mr Ed! Everybody knows you put fleas in cheese, mix them with glue and use it like shampoo! What? Ping-pong... why am I saying ping-pong? Ping-pong Ping-pong Ping-pong! Whatever! whatever! What -ever!
I hear it often (and probably say it more than i should) as short for "whatever you like is fine". Luckily I feel everyone around me gets the correct message