Care or Mind?
I don’t care.
I don’t mind.
These two phrases are quite common in English.
Are they the same? Or do they have a different meaning?
Well, in British English, there IS a difference in the meaning… or rather… the feeling.
In British English, saying “I don’t care” gives the feeling of “This thing is not important to me. It is a waste of time to think about it.” It can feel dismissive and can feel rude in some situations.
For example:
A: Would you like tea or coffee?
B: I don’t care.
A: Oh… ok… I won’t give you anything, then.
In this example, person A feels offended that person B does not think their question is important or worth thinking about.
On the other hand, saying “I don’t mind” has the feeling of “Both options are good. Either option will make me happy.”
In British English, it is much more polite to say “I don’t mind” in a situation where someone is offering something to you.