grazie mille
/ˈɡrat.t͡sje ˈmil.le/
The Italian phrase grazie mille means thank you very much.
It is a common way to say thank you very much in English.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal combination of grazie, meaning thanks and mille, meaning a thousand.
Which one should you use?
While grazie means thank you, grazie mille is more emphatic than the simple grazie.
How do you pronounce it?
It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
The standard response to grazie mille is prego (you're welcome).
Did you know?
- The word grazie is actually the plural form of grazia, meaning 'grace'. When you say grazie mille, you are literally wishing a thousand graces upon the other person.
- While prego is the textbook response, Italians often reply with di nulla or di niente, which literally translates to 'of nothing'.
- Though molte grazie means 'many thanks', it is now considered old-fashioned compared to the ubiquitous grazie mille.
Examples in context
- La ringrazio infinitamente per la sua generosità.I thank you infinitely for your generosity.
- Grazie tante, sei sempre di grande aiuto!Thank you so much, you're always a great help!
- Mille grazie per la tua gentilezza.A thousand thanks for your kindness.
- Grazie mille per l'aiuto.Thank you very much for the help.
- Hai fatto un ottimo lavoro, grazie mille.You did a great job, thank you very much.
- Grazie mille per l'invito.Thank you very much for the invitation.
Example conversation
Matteo gives Chiara a gift.
- ChiaraÈ bellissimo, grazie mille!It is beautiful, thank you very much!
- MatteoPrego, Chiara. Mi fa piacere che ti piaccia.You're welcome, Chiara. I'm glad you like it.
- ChiaraSei molto gentile.You are very kind.
- MatteoDi niente.It's nothing.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry grazie mille, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries grazie, grazie mille, mille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
