Meaning & use
there there
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseinformal
Used to comfort someone who is crying or upset, meaning 'it's okay' or 'don't worry'.
Grammar: Said on its own, often repeated, and usually followed by a gentle comment or nothing at all.
Patterns
- there there, ...
- say 'there there'
There there, don't cry. It's only a small scratch.
She patted the child's head and said, 'There there, everything will be fine.'
There there, you did your best and that's what matters.
Common combinations
- there there, don't cry
- There there, don't cry; I'll stay with you.
- say 'there there'
- He didn't know what to say, so he just said 'there there'.
- there there, it's okay
- There there, it's okay. You're safe now.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hush
- Hush is also used to quiet or comfort, but it often means 'be quiet' rather than 'don't worry'.
- shh
- Shh asks for silence; 'there there' offers comfort, not quiet.
Commonly confused: there there or there, there?
there there vs there, there
The same phrase is sometimes written with a comma between the two words; both are common, but the comma version is more formal in writing.
Practice
Which situation best fits the phrase 'there there'?
Choose one answer.
'There there' comforts someone who is upset, so it fits a crying friend. The other options are about quieting, greeting, or directing someone, which are different functions.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “there there”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.