I don't care / I don't mind / it doesn't matter

Hello,

I'm interested in finding out the difference between the expressions "I don't care', 'I don't mind' and "It doesn't matter'.

-Which one would you like, this or that one?
(1) - Oh, I don't care
(2) - Oh, I don't mind
(3) - Oh, it doesn't matter.

Is (1) a bit ruder, or is it just more common in the US?
Is (2) purely British?
Is (3) the most neutral one?

I'd be grateful for any comments.
Thank you.

Verona_82 said:

Hello,

I'm interested in finding out the difference between the expressions "I don't care', 'I don't mind' and "It doesn't matter'.

-Which one would you like, this or that one?
(1) - Oh, I don't care
(2) - Oh, I don't mind
(3) - Oh, it doesn't matter.

Is (1) a bit ruder, or is it just more common in the US?
Is (2) purely British?
Is (3) the most neutral one?

I'd be grateful for any comments.
Thank you.

Click to expand...

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Tom: Would you please lend me $1,000?

Martha: No.

Tom: Then I won't talk to you ever again.

Martha: I don't care. / I couldn't care less. / Big deal!!!

***

Mr. Smith: I'll be in the hospital for a week.

Mrs. Jones (a neighbor): Is there anything I can do to help?

Mr. Smith: Well, since you mentioned it. Is there any chance

you could collect my mail every day? I hate to bother you.

Mrs. Jones: I don't mind. It's my pleasure. / I don't mind. I have

nothing else to do anyway except to watch TV.

***

Mona: I'm going to the supermarket. We have enough money for

only one ice cream flavor. What do you want?

Ralph: It doesn't matter (to me. I love every flavor of

ice cream. Just be sure that you buy a lot of it).

TheParser, thank you for taking time to respond! I especially liked your first dialogue (and learned a new expression, 'big deal!')

However, I heard native speakers use the phrases in contexts that implied making some sort of choice. If they were used incorrectly, well, I'll have to come to terms with it.

Non-teacher

-Which one would you like, this or that one?
(1) - Either, thank you.
(2) - The big one.
(3) - Oh, you decide.

Verona_82 said:

Hello,

I'm interested in finding out the difference between the expressions "I don't care', 'I don't mind' and "It doesn't matter'.

-Which one would you like, this or that one?
(1) - Oh, I don't care
(2) - Oh, I don't mind
(3) - Oh, it doesn't matter.

Is (1) a bit ruder, or is it just more common in the US?
Is (2) purely British?
Is (3) the most neutral one?

I'd be grateful for any comments.
Thank you.

Click to expand...

I would use either 1 or 3. Neither seems rude to me -- the rudeness would be more in the tone. Of course it depends on the context and the situation -- my way of speaking is very different when I'm hanging out with friends vs. job interview. I wouldn't say "I don't care" at the latter. I would probably say "Either one is fine".

I would use 2. only if someone asked me to do something or if they wanted to do something. Usually they ask the question with "mind if I....".
Or something like
"I put milk in the coffee! I didn't know you like it black!" "Oh, I don't mind"

I perefer to use " I don't mind", but I think that " it doesn't matter" is the most common one in US everyday expressions.

freezeframe said:

"I put some milk in the coffee! I didn't know you like it black!" "Oh, I don't mind"

Click to expand...

I think we can't omit some here, can we?

AlexAD said:

I think we can't omit some here, can we?

Click to expand...

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) This is what Mr. Michael Swan says in his Practical English

Usage:

"With an uncountable ... noun, some usually suggests the idea

of an indefinite ( but not very large) quantity .... When there is

no idea of a limited quantity .... we usually use no article.

Mr. Swan gives these examples:

"Would you like some more beer?" (An indefinite amount)

"We need beer, sugar, and eggs." (Speaker is thinking just of those

things, not of the amounts.)

The bottom line: It appears that you are correct: It would probably

be helpful to use "some."

I think we can't omit some here, can we?
It appears that you are correct: It would probably be helpful to use "some."

Just to look at it another way.
In reality the implication of, "I put (some) milk in the coffee!", would be entirely understood with or without "some".
With reference to the example: "We need beer, sugar, and eggs." (Speaker is thinking just of those things, not of the amounts).
... we could say that the speaker was thinking just of "milk in the coffee", not of the amount, which is irrelevant if the person only takes it black. So I'm suggesting both forms are correct.
Then again, I like coffee either way as well.