After “Hello” and “Nice to meet you,” learning to say “Thank you” in different languages is an important step in any language journey. It shows appreciation for something someone has done for you, whether it’s a server bringing a delicious meal to your table or your friend giving you a meaningful gift. And in languages like Spanish, German, or Japanese, it’s as easy as saying Gracias, Danke, or Arigatō!
Learn how to say “Thank you” in different languages with a guide to expressing gratitude in formal situations, casual contexts, and everyday interactions. Sample sentences and pronunciation tips help ensure your conversations are friendly and polite in your new language.
Table of Contents
22 ways to say ‘Thank you’ in different languages
“Thank you” should be at the top of your vocabulary list, so you’re ready to show how much you appreciate someone’s kind gesture or thoughtful words. Discover formal ways to say “Thank you” in other languages, as well as how to pronounce each option.
| Language | “Thank You” | Pronunciation |
| Arabic | شُكْراً لَكَ (Shukraan lak) | SHOO-krahn LAH-kah |
| Chinese | 谢谢 (Xièxiè) | SHEE-yeh SHEE-yeh |
| Dutch | Dank u | DAHNK-oo |
| Farsi (Persian) | متشکرم (Moteshakeram) | moh-teh-SHAH-keh-rahm |
| French | Merci | mehr-SEE |
| German | Danke | DAHN-kuh |
| Greek | ευχαριστώ (efcharistó) | eff-kha-ree-STOH |
| Hebrew | תודה (Toda) | toh-DAH |
| Hindi | धन्यवाद (Dhanyavaad) | DHAN-yah-vahd |
| Irish | Go raibh maith agat | guh REV mah ah-gaht |
| Italian | Grazie | GRAHT-see-eh |
| Japanese | ありがとう ございます (Arigatō gozaimasu) | ah-REE-gah-toh goh-ZAH-ee-mahs |
| Korean | 감사합니다 (Gamsahabnida) | gham-SAH-ahb-nee-DAH |
| Latin | Gratias | GRAH-tee-ahs |
| Polish | Dziękuję | JEN-koo-yah |
| Portuguese | Obrigado | oh-bree-GAH-doo |
| Russian | Спасибо (Spasibo) | spah-SEE-bah |
| Spanish | Gracias | GRAH-see-ahs |
| Swedish | Tack | tahk |
| Tagalog | Salamat po | sah-LAH-maht POH |
| Turkish | Teşekkür ederim | teh-sheh-KYOOr ehdehm |
| Vietnamese | Cảm ơn | kahm-OON |
How to say ‘Thanks’ in different languages
Looking for a more informal way to express your gratitude to another person? Try these ways to say “Thanks” in various languages around the world, including casual and slang phrases. Note that, in some languages, there isn’t such an informal way to thank someone, and, in others, the same word for “Thank you” is used for “Thanks.”
| Language | “Thanks” | Pronunciation |
| Arabic | شكراً (Shukran) | SHOO-krahn |
| Chinese | 谢啦 (Xiè la) | SHEE-yeh LAH |
| Dutch | Dank je | DAHNK yeh |
| Farsi (Persian) | مرسی (Merci) | mehr-SEE |
| French | Cimer | SEE-mehr |
| German | Dank | DAHNK |
| Greek | Ευχαριστώ (Efcharistó) | eff-kha-ree-STOH |
| Hebrew | תוֹדָה (Toda) | toh-DAH |
| Hindi | शुक्रिया (Shukriya) | SHOO-kree-yah |
| Irish | Míle buíochas | MEE-leh BWEE-uh-kuss |
| Japanese | ありがとう (Arigatō) | DOH-moh |
| Korean | 고마워요 (Gomawoyo) | GOH-mah-woh-YOH |
| Latin | Gratias | GRAH-tee-ahs |
| Polish | Dzięki | JEN-key |
| Portuguese | Valeu | VAH-ley-ooh |
| Russian | Пасиб (Pasib) | pah-SEEB |
| Swedish | Tack tack | TAHK tahk |
| Tagalog | Salamat | sah-LAH-maht |
| Turkish | Şükür | SHOO-koosh |
| Vietnamese | Cảm ơn | kahm-OON |
‘Thank You’ in English: Thank You
Saying “Thank you” in English seems like second nature to native speakers, but it wasn’t always that way. This popular phrase dates back to the Old English word iþancian, meaning “give thanks.” Look at other Germanic languages for words that look like “Thank you” or “Thanks,” including the Dutch Bedankt and German Danke.
- Thank you for the compliment!
- Thanks for coming to my party.
- No, thank you, I’m not hungry.
‘Thank You’ in French: Merci
Merci is the most common way to say “Thank you” in French. It comes from the Old Latin mercēdem, which means “reward,” and is also the root for the English word “mercy.”
Merci beaucoup (Thank you so much) is a polite way to show gratitude, while the Verlan slang phrase Cimer reverses the syllables of Merci to make a popular way for friends to say “Thanks.”
- Merci. Est-ce que vous avez votre passeport? = Thank you. Do you have your passport?
- Non, merci. Je n’ai pas besoin d’aide. = No, thank you. I do not need help.
- D’accord, merci beaucoup! = Okay, thank you very much!
‘Thank You’ in German: Danke
Danke is a simple way to say “Thank you” in German for casual situations. If you want to be more formal, Dankeschön or Ich danke Ihnen would be more appropriate. You can also say tausend Dank (A thousand thanks), which is similar to the English phrase “Thanks a million!”
- Danke, mir geht es gut. = Thank you, I’m fine.
- Nein, danke. = No, thank you.
- Dankeschön für das Geschenk. = Thank you for the gift.
‘Thank You’ in Italian: Grazie
To say “Thank you” in Italian, Grazie is the most popular option in everyday situations, whether you’re talking to someone new, a good friend, or a person in a formal context. It comes from the Latin word Gratias, which is also the root for the English word “gratitude.” For a very sincere sentiment, you can say Grazie di tutto, which means “Thank you for everything.”
- Sto bene, grazie. = I’m fine, thank you.
- No, grazie. Non ho bisogno di un cerotto. = No, thank you. I don’t need a bandage.
- Sì, grazie. È la mia. = Yes, thank you. It’s mine.
- Grazie di tutto, signore. = Thank you for everything, sir.
‘Thank You’ in Japanese: ありがとう ございます (Arigatō gozaimasu)
A formal way to say “Thank you” in Japanese is Arigatō gozaimasu (ありがとう ございます), or sometimes a shortened Arigato (ありがとう). In some situations, Japanese people say “excuse me” or “I’m sorry” instead of thanking someone to express feeling like a burden, or they may say Dōmo (どうも).
Unlike other languages that simply add “No” to their phrase for “Thank you” when saying “No, thank you,” Japanese uses a different phrase altogether: Kekko desu (結構です).
- Hai, arigato gozaimasu. = Yes, thank you.
- Arigato gozaimasu. Kare no desu. Watashi ga kare ni agemashita. = Thank you. It is his. I gave it to him.
- Okoshi itadaki, arigatōgozaimasu. = Thank you for coming.
- Domo, daisukidesu. = Thank you, I love it.
‘Thank You’ in Spanish: Gracias
Gracias means “Thank you” in Spanish and is a common response in most situations when you want to be courteous. Depending on how thankful you are and who you’re talking to, there are a few variations to express exactly how grateful you are. To enthusiastically thank someone, you could say Muchas gracias (Many thanks) or take it up a notch with ¡Mil gracias (A million thanks).
- Gracias por llamarme. = Thank you for calling me.
- ¡Gracias! Todos aquí son tan amables. = Thank you! Everyone is so nice.
- Gracias. ¡Adiós! = Thank you. Goodbye!
Find gratitude in everyday conversations with Rosetta Stone
A smile and a “Thank you” go a long way, no matter what language you’re speaking. Show conversational partners, loved ones, and people you see on the street how much you appreciate a nice gesture with these polite phrases and expressions to say “Thank you” in different languages.
0 Commentaires