gracias
/ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas]
The Spanish phrase for "thank you" is gracias.
gracias is a polite expression used to show gratitude or to thank someone.
Which one should you use?
While gracias is the standard way to say "thank you," you can increase the intensity by adding muchas to create muchas gracias, which means "thank you very much". For even deeper gratitude, you can use the phrase mil gracias, which literally means "a thousand thanks".
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "thank you very much," use the phrase muchas gracias.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas]. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
The most common response to gracias is de nada.
Did you know?
- While gracias is the standard, in some contexts, using the word gracia (singular) can actually mean 'wit' or 'humor', leading to confusion if the person is being complimented on their jokes.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, you might hear gracias spoken with an 's' sound, but in central and northern Spain, it is often pronounced with a 'th' sound like the English word 'think'.
- In some Latin American cultures, saying gracias too many times during a single interaction can actually be perceived as overly formal or distant.
Examples in context
- Muchas gracias por la ayuda.Thank you very much for the help.
- Gracias por el regalo.Thanks for the gift.
- Mil gracias por todo.A thousand thanks for everything.
Example conversation
Sofía gives a book to Mateo at a cafe.
- SofíaToma este libro, Mateo.Take this book, Mateo.
- MateoMuchas gracias, Sofía.Thank you very much, Sofía.
- SofíaDe nada, espero que te guste.You're welcome, I hope you like it.
- MateoSeguro que sí, gracias.I'm sure I will, thanks.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry gracias, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
