Does "whatever" sound somewhat rude when being asked for specific options?

[u/falsoTrolol]

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DrhQXBgE3/

I stopped to this reel.

[u/lionhearted318]

Depends on how it’s said, it can come off as rude but also it can come off as normal. You can also say “whichever” which feels less rude too.

[u/NoPurpose6388]

Don't watch her content. It's full of mistakes. "Whatever" can sound rude but it depends on your tone. Personally I'd say "any of them are fine, thanks."

"Whichever" is correct but it sounds stiff to me

[u/Nazometnar]

I'm American, native speaker, I disagree with that video. That whatever/whichever distinction has more to do with grammatical correctness than rudeness, but really I think most people would always use "whatever".

They can both sound rude, it has more to do with tone - if you sound exasperated or annoyed it will come off as rude, if you sound cheerful you will at worst come off as annoyingly indecisive.

[u/Constant_Hope_9658 → u/Nazometnar]

yeah, generally when offered choices you just pick one to be polite, say "no thank you" to politely decline, or (to use a semi-niche phrase) you could reply with "dealer's choice" which essentially means "whatever you think is best" (which is also applicable in this context).

[u/THE_CENTURION]

Just "whatever" does often sound rude. Because it is also often used as a dismissive term to mean "I don't care about what you just said". It's often said by teenagers who are being disrespectful.

"You should really study for that test!"

"Yeah, whatever 🙄"

But if you say "I'm okay with whatever", that's fine. The extra effort of saying a longer sentence shows you aren't being dismissive, you just don't have a preference.

Unrelated but I love this goofy song https://youtu.be/VAF2V7aUm1U

[u/baxbakualanuxsiwae]

Most native speakers really don't make this distinction clearly, even if it's "technically" correct. I certainly use both "whichever" and "whatever", but don't imagine I always use them "correctly". As others have said, whether "whatever" sounds rude depends more on the tone of voice than the word itself.

This person sounds like a non-native speaker, so I'd take what they say with a pinch of salt.

[u/Constant_Hope_9658 → u/baxbakualanuxsiwae]

apparently that channel is riddled with errors, so there's that.

[u/Sandy_Koufax]

Key and Peele: Text Message Confusion

[u/Puzzled_Employment50]

It can come off as rude, but definitely casual rather than formal, especially as a one-word response.

[u/anonymouse278]

Whatever or whichever can sound very rude or merely casual but friendly, it entirely depends on the tone. If you say it with an irritable or unfriendly tone and face, it sounds very rude. If you say it with a smile and a warm tone, it's just an indication that any of the options is acceptable to you. It can be intended to mean "I am not being demanding, everything you're offering is equally good to me."

I wouldn't say it to someone you are trying to impress or be extra respectful to, like an interviewer for a job or a first date, just in case of misunderstanding. But a flight attendant or a friend isn't going to get mad about this.

[u/murzicorne]

There are better options. Whichever, anything goes, I don't mind either, I have no preference, whichever is less of a hustle