How to Say “No Thanks” in Italian

By •
No, grazie
/ˈnɔ ˈɡrat.t͡sje/word by word
The Italian phrase for no thanks is No, grazie.
No, grazie is a polite way to decline an offer or a request. While saying No by itself can sound blunt or rude, adding grazie softens the refusal and makes it polite.

How does it change in a sentence?

To say 'No, thank you very much' or 'No, thanks a lot', you can add mille (which means thousand) after grazie to form No, grazie mille.

Did you know?

  • Italian culture often emphasizes 'la bella figura', meaning making a good impression, which makes the addition of grazie essential to avoid appearing uncouth.
  • The word grazie is actually the plural form of grazia, meaning 'grace'. When you say 'no thanks', you are literally offering multiple 'graces' to the other person.
  • In Italy, a polite refusal like No, grazie is often accompanied by a slight shake of the head or a hand gesture to emphasize the decline.

Examples in context

  • No, grazie, sono incinta.
    No thanks, I'm pregnant.
    This sentence shows how to use No, grazie to decline something due to being pregnant.
    Tatoeba #4049554 by Guybrush88, translation #3283007 by Farvoyager
  • No, grazie. Non bevo birra.
    No, thanks. I don't drink beer.
    This sentence demonstrates using No, grazie to decline a specific drink.
    Tatoeba #5073616 by Guybrush88, translation #5073604 by CarpeLanam
  • "Altro caffè?" "No, grazie."
    "More coffee?" "No, thanks."
    This sentence illustrates a typical short exchange using No, grazie when offered more coffee.
    Tatoeba #12384452 by Guybrush88, translation #1966978 by mseifert
  • No, grazie.
    No thanks
  • 6 more sentences on Tatoeba

Example conversation

Lorenzo offers Martina a piece of cake.

  1. Lorenzo

    Vuoi un pezzo di torta, Martina?
    Do you want a piece of cake, Martina?
  2. Martina

    No, grazie, ho appena mangiato.
    No, thanks, I just ate.
  3. Lorenzo

    Sei sicura? È molto buona.
    Are you sure? It is very good.
  4. Martina

    Sì, no, grazie davvero.
    Yes, no, thanks truly.

Sources

  • IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (no, grazie) and can differ in connected speech.
  • Word origins: Wiktionary entries grazie, no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
  • Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏
Tom Thomas
Tom ThomasHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Scroll to Top