How to Say "Thank You" in Foreign Languages
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If you use your manners in English regularly, you¡¯re going to want to practice them in another country when you study abroad, right? (Maybe even more than you do at home!)
Universally, ¡°thank you¡± always goes a long way.
Why Learn How to Say "Thank You" in Different Languages
There are a few more reasons you¡¯ll want to know how to say ¡°thank you¡± in your host country¡¯s language:
- Proper etiquette: If someone does something for you or gives an item to you, it¡¯s customary to say, ¡°thank you¡±
- Cultural expectations: Responding to words or an action with ¡°thank you¡± means a lot, but with etiquette in other countries, ¡°thank you¡± is expected
- Psychological benefit: Showing your appreciation to another can make the giver feel good; it could even brighten their day
How to Say "Thank You" in 12 Different Languages
No matter which country and study abroad program you choose, there¡¯s a way to say ¡°thank you¡± while you¡¯re there.
Learn the words and pronunciation before you travel. That way, you can put them into practice when you get off the plane and through the airport!
Language #1: "Thank You" in Italian
Translation: Grazie
Pronunciation: GRAH-tsee-eh
Italians say grazie regularly to others. You may want to familiarize yourself with how to say thank you in Italian language variations, too.
For example, you could respond with grazie tante (GRAH-tsee-eh TAHN-teh) when you mean ¡°many thanks,¡± and grazie di cuore (GRAH-tsee-eh dee KWO-reh) expresses ¡°thanks from the heart."
Grazie embodies the warmth that characterizes communication in Italy. Even as a simple word, it reflects the importance Italians place on courtesy, connection, and acknowledging kindness.
Read More: Top 10 Italian Slang Words & Phrases You Must Know
Language #2: "Thank You" in Korean
Translation: Gamsahamnida
Pronunciation: Gam-sah-hahm-NEE-dah
What it looks like in Korean: ?????
Korean culture heavily emphasizes respect and social hierarchy, which is reflected in its language through levels of formality.
So, while gamsahamnida is the formal standard of appreciation, you could also say gomawoyo (go-ma-wo-yo) to people you know or even gomawo (go-ma-wo) to closer friends and family.
Another thing to keep in mind when considering how to say thank you in Korean language: In South Korea, expressions of gratitude are often accompanied by a slight bow ¨C especially in formal settings ¨C to highlight the importance of respect and appreciation.
Read More: Top 20 Korean Slang Words and Phrases You Must Know
Language #3: "Thank You" in Chinese
Translation: ³Ý¾±¨¨³æ¾±¨¨
Pronunciation: Shyeh-shyeh
What it looks like in Chinese: лл&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
³Ý¾±¨¨³æ¾±¨¨ is a common Mandarin phrase, and the repetition of characters is common in the language, often creating a softer, more natural feeling.
Other ways you can learn how to say thank you in Chinese language include f¨¥i ch¨¢ng xi¨¨ xi¨¨ (fay chahng shyeh shyeh), which means ¡°thank you very much,¡± and du¨ xi¨¨ (dwaw shyeh), which is a slightly more formal or literary "many thanks.¡±
Another note to remember: In China, people might also show appreciation through gifts or acts of service, reflecting the culture's emphasis on maintaining harmonious relationships.
Read More: Top 10 Chinese Slang Words & Phrases You Must Know
Language #4: "Thank You" in French
Translation: Merci
Pronunciation: MEHR-see
Unlike other languages that have multiple formal variations, the simplicity of merci in France makes it versatile across social contexts.
However, there are a few variations you can use to express yourself. They include merci bien (mehr-see bee-en) for ¡°thanks a lot¡± and merci infiniment (mehr-see an-fee-nee-mahn) to express ¡°thank you infinitely.¡±
Read More: Top 20 French Slang Words and Phrases You Must Know
Language #5: "Thank You" in Arabic
Translation: Shukran
Pronunciation: SHOOK-raan
What it looks like in Arabic: ?????
Etiquette is incredibly important in the Middle East, meaning that learning words of thanks can make a world of difference.
Shukran is widely understood throughout the region¡¯s countries. To be even more culturally appropriate, consider your audience when offering your thanks: Say shukran lak (SHOOK-raan lak) to a male and shukran laki (SHOOK-raan la-kee) to a female. And expressing gratitude goes beyond verbal communication and is often accompanied by gestures such as placing the right hand over the heart, which signifies sincerity and respect.
Arabic dialects across different regions ¨C like those in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates ¨C may have local variations for expressing thanks, but shukran is universally understood by Arabs.
Read More: Top 10 Arabic Slang Words & Phrases You Must Know
Language #6: "Thank You" in Spanish
Translation: Gracias
Pronunciation: GRAH-see-ahs
The ¡°thank you¡± that¡¯s most familiar in a foreign language is most likely the Spanish gracias!
Take your gratitude in regions ¨C like Spain, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Argentina, to name a few ¨C further with a few variations, such as muchas gracias (MOO-chas GRAH-see-as), meaning ¡°thank you very much,¡± and te lo agradezco (teh loh ah-grah-DESS-koh), which translates to ¡°I appreciate it.¡±
Read More: Top 10 Spanish Slang Words and Phrases You Need to Know
Language #7: "Thank You" in Japanese
Translation: Arigatou
Pronunciation: Ah-ree-GAH-toh
What it looks like in Japanese: ¤¢¤ê¤¬¤È¤¦&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
The Japanese language has several ways to express "thank you," each with different levels of formality and nuance.
Arigatou is the standard saying of appreciation. But there¡¯s also arigatou gozaimasu (ah-ree-GAH-toh goh-ZAH-ee-mahs), which is a more polite ¡°thank you,¡± or doumo arigatou gozaimasu (doh-MO ah-ree-GAH-toh goh-ZAH-ee-mahs), which is a more formal ¡°thank you very much.¡±
Japan places emphasis on expressing gratitude appropriately according to social context. Thanking someone often involves body language, particularly bowing. The depth and duration of the bow often correspond to the level of gratitude you're expressing.
Read More: Top 10 Japanese Slang Words & Phrases You Must Know
Language #8: "Thank You" in Greek
Translation: ·¡´Ú³¦³ó²¹°ù¾±²õ³Ù¨®
Pronunciation: Ef-khah-ree-STOH
What it looks like in Greek: ¦¥¦Ô¦Ö¦Á¦Ñ¦É¦Ò¦Ó?&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
In Greece, locals use ¦¥¦Ô¦Ö¦Á¦Ñ¦É¦Ò¦Ó? ¦Ð¦Ï¦Ë? or efcharist¨® pol¨ª (ef-kha-ree-STOH po-LEE), meaning ¡°thank you very much,¡± as well as ¦¶?¦Ë¦É¦Á ¦Å¦Ô¦Ö¦Á¦Ñ¦É¦Ò¦Ó? or ch¨ªlia efcharist¨® (HEE-lya ef-kha-ree-STOH), which translates to ¡°a thousand thanks.¡± Note that the accent marks help guide you with emphasis in the pronunciation!
Gratitude often extends beyond words. Greeks might place their hand over their heart to show their appreciation ¨C especially for meaningful help. Among close relations, expressions of thanks may be accompanied by kisses on both cheeks.
Also, in Greek culture, gratitude is often expressed through actions. Offering hospitality, food, or small gifts is a common way to show your appreciation.
Read More: Top 10 Greek Slang Words & Phrases
Language #9: "Thank You" in Portuguese
Translation: Obrigado or Obrigada
Pronunciation: Oh-bree-GAH-doo or Oh-bree-GAH-dah
You might hear slightly different pronunciations of ¡°thank you¡± depending on whether you¡¯re in Brazil or Portugal. But either way, you¡¯ll notice both masculine (obrigado) and feminine (obrigada) versions of your gratitude.
If you¡¯re deeply grateful for someone¡¯s gift or service, you could say ´Ç²ú°ù¾±²µ²¹»å¨ª²õ²õ¾±³¾´Ç/²¹ (oh-bree-gah-DJEE-see-moh/mah), which puts shows extra emphasis on your ¡°thank you so much."
Read More: Top 10 Portuguese Slang Words & Phrases You Must Know
Language #10: "Thank You" in Russian
Translation: §³§á§Ñ§ã§Ú§Ò§à or Spasibo
Pronunciation: spah-SEE-boh
When you¡¯re in countries like Russia or Estonia, you may hear your peers say versions of thanks like ³¦§á§Ñ§ã§Ú§Ò§Ü§Ú or spasibki (spa-SEEB-kee), a playful version that loosely translates to "thanksies" in English. Or ³¦§á§Ñ§ã§Ú§Ò§Ñ or spasiba (spa-SEE-ba), a very informal, friendly twist that¡¯s like saying "thaaanks" with a smile.
Russians and Estonians are typically very reserved. If you get a smile with a thank you, it¡¯s a true sign of friendliness! It¡¯s also common to thank someone after receiving a gift or service ¨C as well as saying it again at a later time, either in person or with a short message.
Read More: Top 10 Russian Slang Words & Phrases You Must Know
Language #11: "Thank You" in German
Translation: Danke
Pronunciation: DAHN-kah
If you¡¯ve ever watched the ¡¯80s movie ¡°Ferris Bueller¡¯s Day Off,¡± danke might sound familiar. Lead character Ferris lip-syncs the old song ¡°Danke Schoen,¡± giving a very public shout-out to his best friend while playing hooky from school: ¡°I'd like to dedicate it to a young man who doesn't think he's seen anything good today.¡±
Danke schoen (DAHN-kah shurn) translates to ¡°thank you very much.¡± You could also hear dankedankedanke to show lots of excitement or gratitude. And you may even hear residents of Germany borrow merci, the French word for ¡°thank you!¡±
Read More: Top 20 German Slang Words and Phrases You Must Know
Language #12: "Thank You" in Czech
Translation: ¶Ù¨§°ì³ÜÂá¾±&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Pronunciation: DYEH-koo-yee
Should you find yourself in the Czech Republic, a ¡°thank you¡± ¨C combined with a slight smile or nod ¨C can show genuine politeness. Being overenthusiastic can be a turnoff.
In more casual situations, you could shorten »å¨§°ì³ÜÂá¾± to a casual »å¨ª°ì (deek) for a quick ¡°thanks.¡±
To express extra gratitude, you could say moc »å¨§°ì³ÜÂá¾± (motz DYEH-koo-yee) for "thank you very much¡± or mockr¨¢t »å¨§°ì³ÜÂá¾± (MOTS-krat DYEH-koo-yee) meaning "thanks a lot" or "many thanks."
Read More: Top 10 Czech Slang Words & Phrases You Must Know
Your Journey Starts Here
Expressing gratitude is a universal language that transcends borders and cultures. It's a powerful way to build connections and show appreciation.
So, when you're ready to study abroad or you meet someone from a different background, remember that a simple "thank you" in their native language can go a long way in creating meaningful relationships!