Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | [a̠ɾʲiɡa̠to̞ː ɡo̞za̠ima̠sɨ̥] (narrow) |
| ありがとう | arigatō | [a̠ɾʲiɡa̠to̞ː] (narrow) [a̠˨ɾi˦ɡ̃a̠˨to̞ː˨˨] (narrow) [a̠˨ɾi˦ɡ̃a̠˦to̞ː˨˨] (narrow) [a̠˨ɾi˨ɡ̃a̠˨to̞ː˦˨] (narrow) [a̠˨ɾi˨ɡ̃a̠˨to̞ː˦˦] (Kagoshima, narrow) |
| どうもありがとう | dōmo arigatō | [do̞ːmo̞ a̠ɾʲiɡa̠to̞ː] (narrow) |
| どうも | dōmo | [do̞ːmo̞] (narrow) |
| サンキュー | sankyū | [sã̠ŋʲkʲɨː] (narrow) |
| 大きに | ōkini | [o̞ːkʲiɲ̟i] (narrow) |
These expressions are used to convey gratitude. While the standard forms are widely used, other phrases like sumimasen can also function as a way of saying thank you, such as when someone holds a door open for you. For expressing thanks in advance or appreciation for future help, you might use yoroshiku onegaishimasu. To express the sentiment 'I appreciate it,' you can use kansha shimasu.
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on who you are addressing. Use ありがとうございます (polite) instead of ありがとう when speaking to strangers, superiors or in formal settings. In contrast, use ありがとう (casual) with friends, family or people of lower social status.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The level of formality varies significantly across the available forms. ありがとうございます is the polite version suitable for formal situations. ありがとう is the informal version of this phrase. For very casual, everyday situations, you can use the short form どうも to mean 'thanks' or 'thank you'. The form サンキュー is a loanword from English used specifically in very casual, youthful or lighthearted contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai area, such as Osaka or Kyoto, you may hear the regional form 大きに to express deep gratitude or to say 'thank you very much'.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are thanking someone for something that has already been completed in the past, you should use the past tense form: ありがとうございました.
How do you pronounce it?
arigatō
Did you know?
- To say 'thank you' is to literally describe something that is 'hard to exist'. The phrase stems from the idea that a good thing is so rare and precious that it is difficult for it to occur.
Examples in context
- ありがとう。Thank you!This example shows a simple way to say thank you using ありがとう.Tatoeba #1532832 by bunbuku, translation #374827 by sysko
- 電話ありがとう。Thank you for calling.This sentence uses ありがとう to thank someone specifically for calling.Tatoeba #3401026 by arnab, translation #64155 by CK
- 本当にありがとう。Thank you very much!This sentence uses ありがとう to express strong gratitude.Tatoeba #81557 by tommy_san, translation #1564 by adjusting
- 387 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren gives a small gift to Himari.
- 蓮 Renこれ、プレゼント。Kore, purezento.This is a present.
- 陽葵 Himariわあ、ありがとう！Waa, arigatou!Wow, thank you!
- 蓮 Ren喜んでくれてよかった。Yorokonde kurete yokatta.I'm glad you're happy.
- 陽葵 Himari大切にするね。Taisetsu ni suru ne.I will cherish it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries ありがとうございます, ありがとう, どうもありがとう, どうも, サンキュー, 大きに, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ありがとう, ありがとうございます, どうも, どうもありがとう, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
