merci beaucoup
/mɛʁ.si bo.ku/
merci beaucoup is the French way to say thank you very much.
Use this phrase to express a great deal of gratitude toward someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of merci (thanks) and beaucoup (a lot/much).
Which one should you use?
merci beaucoup is more emphatic than the simple merci (thanks).
How do you pronounce it?
/mɛʁ.si bo.ku/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying merci très beaucoup. While you might want to translate "thank you very much" literally, beaucoup is an adverb and cannot be modified by très.
Did you know?
- The expression beaucoup was originally a combination of beau ('beautiful') and coup ('hit' or 'strike').
- If someone offers you more of something and you say merci, it often functions as 'no thank you' in a social setting.
- In France, it is common to respond to merci beaucoup with je vous en prie, which is a highly formal way of saying 'I pray you' or 'you are welcome'.
Examples in context
- Je tiens à vous exprimer toute ma reconnaissance pour votre générosité. Merci beaucoup.I want to express my full gratitude to you for your generosity. Thank you very much.
- Merci beaucoup pour les fleurs.Thank you very much for the flowers.
- Merci beaucoup de votre aide précieuse.Thank you very much for your precious help.
- Merci beaucoup, c'est très gentil.Thank you very much, that is very kind.
Example conversation
Emma is receiving a gift from Hugo.
- EmmaC'est un magnifique cadeau !It is a magnificent gift!
- HugoJe suis content que ça te plaise, Emma.I am glad that you like it, Emma.
- EmmaMerci beaucoup, Hugo.Thank you very much, Hugo.
- HugoDe rien, c'est avec plaisir.You're welcome, it's my pleasure.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry merci beaucoup, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries beaucoup, merci, CC BY-SA 4.0.
