ありがとう
arigatō[a̠ɾʲiɡa̠to̞ː]
The phrase arigatou means arigatou (phrase) in Japanese.
Which one should you use?
ありがとう is an informal way to say thank you, whereas ありがとうございます is the standard polite way to say thank you to strangers, teachers or superiors.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ありがとう is an informal way to say thanks, used with friends, family or people of lower social status. In contrast, ありがとうございます is considered formal and polite.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, people often say おおきに to express gratitude. This term is considered casual and is used among locals in the Kansai region. Additionally, the colloquial and friendly phrase ありがとうや is used in Western Japan.
How does it change in a sentence?
To thank someone for something that has already been completed, use the past tense form ありがとうございました.
Did you know?
- The word ありがとう originally meant 'difficult to exist' or 'hard to be'. Over centuries, the meaning shifted from describing something 'rare' to expressing gratitude for something special.
- In modern Japanese, you can still use the adjective form ありがたい (arigatai) to mean 'welcome' or 'a blessing'. For example, you might say 'this weather is arigatai' to mean it is a rare and welcome gift.
Examples in context
- Arigatou gozaimasu. (ありがとうございます)Thank you very much.
- Arigatou! (ありがとう)Thanks!
- いつもありがとう。Itsumo arigatou.Thanks for everything, as always.
- 手伝ってくれてありがとう。Tetsudatte kurete arigatou.Thank you for helping me.
- プレゼントをありがとう。Purezento o arigatou.Thank you for the present.
Example conversation
Kenta gives a drink to Himari at the park.
- 健太 Kenta陽葵、これどうぞ。Himari, kore douzo.Himari, here you go.
- 陽葵 Himariわあ、ありがとう、健太！Waa, arigatou, Kenta!Wow, thank you, Kenta!
- 健太 Kenta喉が渇いていたでしょう？Nodo ga kawaite ita deshou?You were thirsty, right?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、すごく助かるよ。Un, sugoku tasukaru yo.Yeah, it really helps.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ありがとう, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ありがとう, CC BY-SA 4.0.
