The pattern
"Don't" plus a verb tells someone not to do something. It can be a warning ("Don't touch that, it's hot"), a rule ("Don't park here"), or reassurance ("Don't worry"). The same two words carry all three, and the tone of your voice decides which one the listener hears.
Reassurance is where "don't" does its kindest work. "Don't worry", "Don't apologize", "Don't mention it" and "Don't be silly" are all ways of saying "it's fine, relax". Learn those four as fixed phrases; you will use them every week.
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
A reply to "thank you": it was nothing.
A fixed phrase before a criticism, so it isn't misunderstood.
Check yourself
Practice · 3 min
Warn, advise or reassure. Prompt on the left, one natural sentence on the right.
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Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.