No matter the language, expressing gratitude is a universal concept that knows no borders. And the phrase "thank you" is perhaps the most important expression in any language (besides saying "I'm sorry"). It is a sign of respect and appreciation, and it is often the first step in building a relationship with someone. However, there are many different ways to say "thank you," each with its own nuances depending on the situation. For example, if a cashier hands you the change at the supermarket, it's a different situation than when you're at a job interview and just got told that you'll be the one they'll hire. So, naturally, learning how to say "thank you" in one language is about more than finding the quickest or simplest gesture of appreciation. And today, we're gonna help you out with this brief guide on how to say "thank you" in some of the most common languages spoken around the world!
The most common way to say "thank you" or "thanks" is simply "merci." Don't add a "tu" or "vous" (both the informal and formal French translation of "you") after "merci."
If you want to emphasize how thankful you are, you can add the adverbs "beaucoup" ("very much" or "a lot"), "infiniment" ("a million"), or "mille fois" ("a thousand times"). This means now that "merci beaucoup" translates to "thank you very much" (Note that in French, you don't add the word "très" ("very") before "beaucoup." So don't say "merci très beaucoup," as this is incorrect.). At the same time, "merci infiniment" means "thank you a million," and "merci mille fois" translates to "thank you a thousand times."
Watch out for this phrase. If you think that you could use it synonymously with "merci beaucoup," you will for sure risk a faux pas. "Merci bien" does translate to "thanks a lot," and you'll undoubtedly hear it spoken by native speakers, but be aware of the context: in most cases, it is perceived as sarcastic, so it's safer you stick to "merci beaucoup" instead.
"Cimer" is the inversed version of "merci," so it's a so-called "verlan" - a French slang. But, as always with slang, it's an informal expression that you can use for a simple "thank you."
"Merci du fond du cœur" is a heartfelt phrase that translates to "Thank you from the bottom of my heart." Say this phrase to someone if you're passionately thankful for whatever happened to you.
This phrase is quite commonly used when someone does you a favor. Depending on if you're in a formal or informal situation, you either use this phrase with "toi" (informal "you") or "vous" (formal "you" (singular) (commonly used when addressing the elderly) or when you're talking to more than one person (so the plural "you")). Both translate to "That's very kind of you!"
There are two/three ways to answer a "merci":
"Danke" is the universal way to say "thanks" to someone. It's short, easy to remember, and suitable for informal and formal situations.
"Dankeschön" is a longer and slightly nuanced form of "Danke." It translates to "thank you kindly" and is suitable for both informal and formal situations.
"Danke sehr," "Vielen Dank," and "Dankeschön" can be used interchangeably. The "sehr" in "Danke sehr" is an adverb that means "very." "Danke sehr" translates to "thank you very much" and is quite common in any formal situation, although it's also suitable on informal occasions. The "vielen" in "Vielen Dank" can be seen as a "many," so translating "Vielen Dank" to "Many thanks" is also ok. Still, you can use all three expressions in the same situation.
This phrase is probably one of the most formal ones you could use in German to thank somebody. It translates to "I give you my thanks."
"Thank you, that is very kind of you!" is the correct translation of the German phrase above and is used in situations when someone did you a favor or was kind to you. (For example, when in a long checkout line at the supermarket, the person in front of you lets you checkout before them since you've got fewer items in your shopping cart.)
When someone in a formal context has helped you a lot, then answer with this phrase above. It translates to "I would like to thank you sincerely" and should be said with the same confidence as you would with the English counterpart.
There are a few ways to answer a "Danke":
"Gracias" simply means "thanks" and is one of the most used words in Spanish. You can use it in any situation and can't go wrong with it.
"Muchas gracias" is another common way to emphasize how immensely thankful you are. It means "Thank you very much" or "thanks a lot" and can be used in both formal and informal situations. You can also use "mil gracias" in the same case, which literally translates to "thanks a thousand times" but is the English equivalent of "thanks a million."
The word "chido" stands out from this list because it's used in Mexico and in casual conversations only. However, it's a common word in Mexican Slang Spanish and can be translated as "thanks."
"Gracias de todo corazón" is a pretty passionate and heartfelt phrase that translates to "Thank you from the bottom of my heart." (Same as the French phrase "merci du fond du cœur"). Only say this phrase when you really mean it, but otherwise, it's acceptable for any formal or informal situation.
"¡Qué amable!" is a polite phrase when someone does you an unexpected favor. It's usually used in more formal situations, so it's not so common among close friends and family where you'd use a different expression. It translates to "How nice!" or "How kind!"
There are a couple of ways to answer a "gracias":
Again, we'll start with the most common way to say "thanks." You can never go wrong with a simple "grazie."
If you're very thankful, you can say either "molte grazie" ("many thanks") or "grazie mille" (literally translates to "thanks a thousand times" but is the equivalent to the English "thanks a million"). Both share the same sentiment of gratitude and are used in formal and informal situations.
Be careful with that phrase. Similar to the French "merci bien," the expression "grazie tante" is quite the opposite of a genuine "thanks." Instead, it is a snarky way to express your annoyance with an inconvenience and means a sarcastic "thanks a lot."
"La ringrazio tanto" is the formal way to say "Thank you very much" to someone in a formal situation. You can use it in any business environment or when talking to an elderly and wanting to be respectful. Whatever the case, you cannot go wrong with that phrase.
"How kind of you!" would be the perfect translation of the Italian phrase "È molto gentile da parte tua." It's the ideal response when someone has gone out of their way to do you an unexpected favor or treated you with exceptional kindness. You might've already guessed it: it's more common in polite conversations and isn't used with friends or family.
Here are a few ways to answer a "grazie":
A simple "tak" equals the English "thanks" and can already bring a smile to somebody's face. It's universally used in any context - formal or informal.
When a simple "tak" doesn't feel sufficient enough, you can say either "mange tak" ("many thanks") or "tusind tak" ("a thousand thanks"). You can use both interchangeably in the same informal or formal situation.
"Takker" is the short version of the phrase "Jep takker dig" ("I thank you") and translates to a very casual "thanks." Use this word with friends and family to show your appreciation and gratitude.
Have you ever been in a situation where you used the somewhat sarcastic English phrase "Thanks, but no thanks."? Probably yes. Here's the Danish equivalent "Ellers tak." Feel free to use it whenever you need to.
If you're in a formal or polite setting, the ideal response to show appreciation or gratitude would be "Tak skal du have." It literally translates to "Thanks you shall have" but means "Thanks a lot."
"That's very kind of you!" is the Danish response when someone you're not close with has been exceptionally kind to you or has done you an unexpected favor. It's perfect for polite conversations and formal situations.
Here are a few ways to answer a "tak":
Since Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish are closely related languages, it shouldn't be a surprise that they also share similarities in their "thank you" phrases. The Norwegian "takk" equals the Danish "tak," which also equals the English "thanks."
You can say either "mange takk" ("many thanks") or "tusen takk" ("a thousand thanks") if you feel that a simple "takk" isn't enough. They're both equally appropriate for informal or formal situations.
"Takk så mye!" is the casual Norwegian version of the phrase "Thanks a lot!" used with friends and family.
This phrase is not so common since it might sound a bit exaggerated. It translates to "Thousand cordial thanks!" and is only used in certain situations where you want to express profound gratitude towards someone.
The phrase "Det er veldig snilt av deg" translates to "That's very kind of you!" and is the appropriate response when someone you're not close with clearly goes out of their way to give good service or was extremely kind to you.
Here are a few ways to answer a "takk":
Again, very similar to Danish and Norwegian, the Swedish "tack" translates to a simple "thanks."
"Tusen tack" translates to "a thousand thanks" and can be used for formal and informal situations. "Stort tack," on the other hand, is slightly more casual, meaning "big thanks."
If you feel a little more thankful than what a simple "tack" could ever provide, the phrase "tack så mycket" might be a perfect choice. It means a heartfelt "thanks so much."
"Tack ska du ha" is the ideal phrase when you're not only grateful but also incredibly thankful to a particular person who did something for you. It literally translates to "thanks you shall have" and emphasizes the person you're grateful for. So, when you use this phrase, mean it.
"Det är väldigt snällt av dig" is the Swedish version of the English phrase "That's very kind of you!" Use it appropriately when someone unfamiliar did you a great favor or went out of their way to be kind to you.
Here are a few ways to answer a "tack":
“Teşekkür ederim” is the most common phrase for thanking someone. It translates to “I give my thanks.”
For casual situations in daily life, you can also use the shortened version “teşekkürler” of “teşekkür ederim,” which translates to a simple “thanks.”
“Çok teşekkürler” is a slightly more grateful version of “teşekkür ederim.” It means “Thank you very much” and can be used for formal and informal situations.
While “Sağol” literally translates to “stay healthy” (“sağ” means “alive/healthy” and “ol” means stay), it is used as an informal way to say “thank you” to someone. So it’s the best phrase to use with friends, family, and people you know well. The formal version would be “sağolun.”
Say “çok naziksiniz” to someone who’s been exceptionally kind to you or did you a great favor even though they didn’t have to. It translates to “that’s very kind of you.”
Here are a few ways to answer a “teşekkür”:
This is one of the two standard phrases in Korean to politely say “thank you.” Pay extra attention to the word “politely” because formality, respect, and etiquette matter immensely in Korean culture. This means that the formal way of saying things is much more common than the informal or casual versions in daily Korean life. The phrase “감사합니다” (“gam-sa-ham-ni-da”) is the ideal, most formal, and therefore the standard way to thank somebody.
“고맙습니다” (“go-map-seum-ni-da”) is also a formal way to say “thank you” in Korean and, hence, the second standard phrase.
As mentioned before, Koreans take utmost care to be polite and stick to formality. So before using the phrase “고마워” (“go-ma-wo”), be aware to only use it with close friends or siblings. This is because the phrase translates to the casual English “thanks,” and you’ll come across as rude when saying it to strangers or people you’re not very close with.
“Arigatou” is the standard and the most common way to say “thanks” in Japanese. It’s also what you’ll mostly hear when watching Japanese shows or anime, so it’s safe to say that it’s a rather casual phrase used with friends, family, and people of the same age or younger. The more polite version ありがとうございます (“arigatou gozaimasu”) is perfect when talking to strangers like hotel or restaurant staff.
When a “thanks” or “thank you” isn’t enough to express your gratitude, say “どもありがとうございます” (“domo arigatou gozaimasu”), which roughly translates to “thank you very much.”
One of the most casual ways to say “thank you” is どうも (“domo”). It’s even more informal than “arigatou,” so better think twice to whom you’re speaking when using “domo.” It’s considered quite rude to say “domo” to someone higher than your social status, like your boss or anyone older than you. Better use this phrase only with close friends or younger siblings.
“恐れ入ります” (“osoreirimasu”) is the ideal phrase to thank someone when you’re in a highly formal situation. So it’s not a phrase you’d hear someone regularly say in day-to-day life, not even in office settings with colleagues. Reserve this phrase for higher bosses or any other person of a much higher social rank than you.
“xiè.xiè” (谢谢) is probably one of the most important phrases you could possibly learn in Chinese, as Chinese culture is one of gratitude, honor, formality, and respect. “xiè.xiè” translates to “thank you.”
“Many thanks” would be the English translation of “gǎn xiè” and emphasizes how not only thankful but, foremost, how grateful you are.
When someone has done you a great favor, and you’re deeply grateful and thankful for what they did, say “fēi.cháng xiè.xiè” (非常谢谢) as it means “thank you very much” in English. It is regarded as “semi-formal” in Chinese.
Especially in Mandarin Chinese, when you’ve got a compliment, it is pretty common to deflect it, as it shows humbleness instead of self-depreciation. It translates to a modest “no no” and lets you appear even more admirable with a simple wave of hands.
Дякую (“d’akuju”) is the short and easy way to say “thank you” to someone in Ukrainian. You can use it in any formal or informal situation.
“Дуже дякую” (“duzhe d’akuju”) is the “next upper level” of “Дякую” (“d’akuju”) and means “thank you very much.”
When a short “Дякую” (“d’akuju”) isn’t sufficient enough for you to show your deepest gratitude, and instead want to express a heartfelt “thank you,” choose the phrase Сердечно дякую (“serdechno d’akuju”) which translates to “thank you from my heart.”
If you find yourself in a formal situation (like in a formal email), you can’t go wrong with “Щиро дякую” (“shchyro d’akuju”), which translates to “sincerely, thank you.”
When someone has been extremely kind to you, and you want to show them that you appreciate their action, say “Це дуже мило з вашого боку” (“tze duzhe mylo z vashoho boku”), which means a formal “that’s very kind of you” in English.
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