Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| どうもありがとうございました | dōmo arigatō gozaimashita |
| どうもすみませんでした | dōmo sumimasen deshita |
This phrase is used to express a greater sense of gratitude than a simple "thank you".
What does it mean word for word?
The word どうも functions as an intensifier meaning "very" or "truly" in this context.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase どうもありがとうございました is a polite and formal way to express thanks. The addition of gozaimashita provides a higher level of politeness than the casual arigatō.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form どうもありがとうございました is the past tense and should be used to thank someone for an action that has already been completed. In contrast, the present tense form (gozaimasu) is used for ongoing or future gratitude.
How do you pronounce it?
dōmo arigatō gozaimashita
When do people say it?
To show respect and sincerity when saying thank you in Japanese culture, it is common to bow slightly while speaking.
Did you know?
- While English speakers say 'thank you' to express gratitude, a Japanese speaker might use the phrase どうもすみませんでした, which literally translates to 'I am very sorry'. This expresses that the speaker feels a sense of debt or burden for the trouble caused.
- The root of ありがとう comes from あり難い, meaning 'difficult to exist'. It originally described something so rare or precious that it was hard to believe it existed.
- The word dōmo is a linguistic chameleon. While it acts as 'very much' in this phrase, if you say it alone, it can mean 'that is all' or 'goodbye' depending on the context and your tone.
Examples in context
- どうもありがとうございました。Thank you very much.Tatoeba #10899748 by small_snow, translation #1839560 by CK
- 先生、どうもありがとうございました。Thank you very much, doctor.This sentence shows how to address a doctor or teacher when using どうもありがとうございました.Tatoeba #141797 by bunbuku, translation #272773 by CK
- 昨日はどうもありがとうございました。Kinō wa dōmo arigatō gozaimashita.Thank you very much for yesterday.
Example conversation
Yui is thanking Kenta for his help with her heavy luggage.
- 健太 Kentaいえいえ、大丈夫ですよ。Iie iie, daijōbu desu yo.No, no, it was no problem.
- 結衣 Yui本当に、どうもありがとうございました。Hontō ni, dōmo arigatō gozaimashita.Truly, thank you very much.
- 健太 Kentaお気になさらず。Oki ni nasarazu.Please don't mention it.
- 結衣 Yui助かりました。Tasukarimashita.It was a great help.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you very much” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
