merci
/mɛʁ.si/
The English phrase "gracias" is translated into French as merci.
The phrase is used to thank someone or to show gratitude. In informal settings, you can say Merci mille fois to literally mean "thank you a thousand times". In formal contexts, you might use the more complete phrase Je vous remercie to say "I thank you" or Je vous suis reconnaissant(e) to say "I am grateful to you".
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /mɛʁ.si/ and consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word merci shares its roots with the word 'mercenary', as both derive from the Latin 'mercēdem' meaning 'wages' or 'reward'.
- The French word merci shares the same root as the English word 'mercy'. In Old French, the term referred to both gratitude and the act of showing compassion or granting pardon.
- In French, if someone does you a favor, you might say C'est très gentil de votre part, which translates to 'It is very kind of you', rather than just saying 'thanks'.
Examples in context
- Merci beaucoup pour le cadeau.Thank you very much for the gift.
- Merci pour ton aide précieuse.Thank you for your precious help.
- Un grand merci pour votre accueil.A big thank you for your welcome.
Example conversation
Emma gives Gabriel a book he wanted.
- EmmaTiens, Gabriel, c'est pour toi.Here, Gabriel, this is for you.
- GabrielOh, merci beaucoup, Emma !Oh, thank you very much, Emma!
- EmmaJe suis ravie de te faire plaisir.I am delighted to please you.
- GabrielTu es vraiment très gentille.You are really very kind.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry merci, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries merci, CC BY-SA 4.0.
