どうもありがとうございます
dōmo arigatō gozaimasu[do̞ːmo̞ a̠ɾʲiɡa̠to̞ː ɡo̞za̠ima̠sɨ̥]
A formal thank you in Japanese is どうもありがとうございます (dōmo arigatō gozaimasu).
This phrase is used to express a deep sense of gratitude. It is a polite expression suitable for showing thanks to a superior, a teacher or a stranger.
What does it mean word for word?
In this phrase, どうも means 'very' or 'indeed' in this context and ありがとうございます is the polite form of 'thank you'.
Which one should you use?
While ありがとうございます is a common formal way to say 'Thank you very much', adding どうも to the beginning of どうもありがとうございます adds emphasis and conveys an even deeper sense of gratitude.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
どうもありがとうございます is a polite and standard way to express gratitude to superiors or strangers. In contrast, using only ありがとう without the gozaimasu suffix is informal and should only be used with friends or family.
How does it change in a sentence?
To thank someone for an action that has already been completed, change the ending to the past tense: ありがとうございました.
How do you pronounce it?
dōmo arigatō gozaimasu
Did you know?
- The word 'arigatō' originates from the adjective 'arigataki', which literally means 'difficult to exist' or 'rare'.
- When someone says どうもありがとうございます to you, a common polite response is not 'you are welcome' but rather 'kochira koso', meaning 'it is I who should thank you'.
- The term 'gozaimasu' is a form of the verb 'gozaru', which was used by samurai and high-ranking officials in historical Japan.
Examples in context
- どうもありがとうございます。Domo arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
- お忙しい中、どうもありがとうございます。Oisogashii naka, domo arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much for your time.
- 助けていただき、どうもありがとうございます。Tasukete itadaki, domo arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much for helping me.
Example conversation
Misaki is thanking Ren for a business document.
- 美咲 Misaki資料をいただき、どうもありがとうございます。Shiryou o itadaki, doumo arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much for the documents.
- 蓮 Renいいえ、お役に立ててよかったです。Iie, oyaku tatete yokatta desu.No problem, I am glad I could be of help.
- 美咲 Misakiとても勉強になりました。Totemo benkyou ni narimashita.It was very informative.
- 蓮 Renこちらこそ、よろしくお願いします。Kochira koso, yoroshiku onegaishimasu.Likewise, I look forward to working with you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry どうもありがとうございます, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries どうもありがとうございます, CC BY-SA 4.0.
