genial, gracias
/xeˈnjal ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas/word by word
The Spanish phrase for "great thank you" is genial, gracias.
genial, gracias is used to react to good news or a helpful suggestion by simultaneously expressing enthusiasm and gratitude.
Which one should you use?
Unlike the English 'great thank you', which can be read as a single noun phrase (a great thank you), the Spanish version is a sequence of two distinct expressions: genial (great/wonderful) and gracias (thanks).
How do you pronounce it?
/xeˈnjal ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas/ (5 syllables, stress on the 2nd syllable)
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word genial was originally used to describe things that were festive or related to marriage.
- While English speakers use 'genial' to describe a warm and friendly personality, in Spanish, genial is much more commonly used to describe an excellent situation or an idea.
- In Spain, the c in gracias is typically pronounced as a 'th' sound, but in Latin America it is pronounced as an 's'. This can lead to different auditory experiences of the same phrase.
Examples in context
- Muchas gracias por su amabilidad.Thank you very much for your kindness.
- Estoy muy agradecida por su apoyo incondicional.I am very grateful for your unconditional support.
- ¡Gracias!Thanks!
- Te agradezco un montón por tu ayuda.I really appreciate your help a lot.
- Mil gracias por estar siempre ahí para mí.A thousand thanks for always being there for me.
- Genial, gracias por la ayuda.Great, thanks for the help.
- Genial, gracias por avisarme.Great, thanks for letting me know.
Example conversation
Lucía tells Daniel that she found his lost keys.
- DanielLucía, ¿encontraste mis llaves?Lucía, did you find my keys?
- LucíaSí, están sobre la mesa.Yes, they are on the table.
- DanielGenial, gracias.Great, thanks.
- LucíaDe nada, Daniel.You're welcome, Daniel.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (genial, gracias) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries genial, gracias, CC BY-SA 4.0.
