gracias, querido
/ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas keˈɾido/word by word
The Spanish phrase for "thank you dear" is gracias, querido.
This phrase is used to express gratitude to someone you love or are very close to. While gracias alone is a standard way to say thank you, adding querido/a shifts the register from a polite or neutral expression to an intimate and affectionate one.
Which one should you use?
You can use different versions of this phrase depending on your relationship with the person and their gender. gracias, cariño can also be used as an informal way to say "thanks, love".
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the person being addressed: use querida for a woman and querido for a man. To address a group of people affectionately, use the masculine plural queridos (for a mixed group or all males) or queridas (for a group of only females).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas keˈɾido/]
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, you might hear gracias, cielo instead of querido to express the same sense of warmth.
- The word querido comes from the verb querer, which in English usually means 'to want', but in Spanish expresses the much deeper feeling of 'to love'.
- In some Caribbean cultures, people may use mi amor (my love) as a common, friendly way to say 'dear' even with strangers, such as a shopkeeper to a customer.
Examples in context
- Gracias, querido amigo, por estar siempre ahí para mí.Thank you, dear friend, for always being there for me.
- Gracias, querido, por el regalo.Thank you, dear, for the gift.
- Gracias, querido, por ayudarme hoy.Thank you, dear, for helping me today.
- Eres muy amable, gracias, querido.You are very kind, thank you, dear.
Example conversation
Daniel brings Lucía a cup of coffee in the morning.
- DanielAquí tienes tu café, Lucía.Here is your coffee, Lucía.
- LucíaGracias, querido. Huele muy bien.Thank you, dear. It smells very good.
- DanielDe nada, mi amor.You are welcome, my love.
- LucíaEres muy amable conmigo.You are very kind to me.
