Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| merci | /mɛʁ.si/ (Belgium, France) /maɛ̯ʁ.si/ (Canada) |
|
| je vous remercie | ||
| merci bien | /mɛʁ.si bjɛ̃/ | formal |
merci is a neutral and polite way to thank someone. You can add beaucoup to create merci beaucoup to add an extra level of emphasis and warmth to your gratitude. For expressing immense gratitude, the popular expression merci mille fois is used in many regions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While merci is a polite and neutral choice, je vous remercie is a formal expression used when expressing gratitude to someone who is not familiar to you or whom you hold in high regard. For even more emphasis on the importance of your gratitude in formal settings, you can use je tiens à vous remercier. The phrase merci bien is also considered formal. In informal situations, you might use trop gentil(le) to express gratitude when someone has done something exceptionally nice or helpful.
Is it said differently in some regions?
merci bien is commonly used in southern France and among the older generation.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'thank you for [something]', use merci pour followed by a noun, such as merci pour le cadeau. While merci pour is used with nouns, merci de is often used before an infinitive verb, such as merci de m'avoir aidé.
How do you pronounce it?
{'ipa': '/mɛʁ.si/', 'syllables': 2}
When do people say it?
When someone says merci or je vous remercie, a common, informal way to respond is de rien. In formal situations, you should respond with je vous en prie.
Did you know?
- The word merci is related to the English word 'mercenary'. Both stem from the idea of a 'price' or 'wages' paid for a service.
- The phrase je vous en prie is the formal way to say 'you are welcome', but it literally translates to 'I pray you of it'.
- In some parts of France, such as the South, you might hear merci bien used. While it sounds very polite, it can sometimes carry a slightly sarcastic or dismissive tone depending on the speaker's voice.
Examples in context
- Merci ma chère !Thank you, my dear.Tatoeba #1924315 by sacredceltic, translation #1923455 by Spamster
- Merci à vous deux.Thank you both.Tatoeba #2991730 by Ppjet6, translation #9800436 by Adelpa
- Merci mille fois !Thank you very much!Tatoeba #6780343 by Micsmithel, translation #1564 by adjusting
- Je vous remercie pour votre aide précieuse dans ce projet.I thank you for your valuable help in this project.
- Merci beaucoup d'être venu(e) à ma fête, c'était super sympa!Thank you very much for coming to my party, it was really nice!
- 539 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan gives Emma a bouquet of flowers.
- EmmaOh, merci Nathan !Oh, thank you Nathan!
- NathanDe rien, Emma.You're welcome, Emma.
- EmmaMerci encore pour les fleurs.Thank you again for the flowers.
- NathanJe t'en prie.You are very welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries merci, merci bien, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, je, merci, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
