What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'thanks for being come' because Italian uses the auxiliary verb essere (to be) with the verb venire (to come).
Which one should you use?
While grazie per venire might be understood, grazie per essere venuti is the grammatically correct way to express appreciation for an action that has already occurred or is currently completed.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a formal event using a formal tone, you can use La ringrazio per essere venuto/a or Siamo grati per la sua presenza (We are grateful for your presence). To express the same sentiment informally to a male or female, use Ti ringrazio per essere venuto/a.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the phrase changes depending on who you are addressing. Use grazie per essere venuto to thank a single man and grazie per essere venuta to thank a single woman. Use the default form grazie per essere venuti when addressing a group of two or more people.
Did you know?
- Italian distinguishes between 'coming' toward the speaker (venire) and 'going' away from the speaker (andare), so grazie per essere venuti can only be said by the person who is already at the destination.
- While grazie is used for 'thanks', the formal version La ringrazio comes from the verb ringraziare, which literally means 'to thank back' or 'to re-grace'.
- The word grazie is the plural form of grazia, meaning 'grace'. When you say 'thank you', you are literally offering 'graces' to the other person.
Examples in context
- Grazie per essere venuti stasera.Thank you for coming tonight.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase grazie per essere venuti.Tatoeba #3321080 by Guybrush88, translation #3096377 by CK
- Grazie per essere venuto alla festa di compleannoThank you for coming to the birthday party
- Grazie per essere venuti al nostro matrimonioThank you for coming to our wedding
- Grazie per essere venuti alla mia festa.Thank you for coming to my party.
- Grazie per essere venuti a trovarmi.Thank you for coming to visit me.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro is thanking Martina and her friends at the end of a dinner party.
- AlessandroRagazzi, grazie per essere venuti a cena.Guys, thank you for coming to dinner.
- MartinaGrazie a te, Alessandro, è stato tutto ottimo.Thank you, Alessandro, everything was great.
- AlessandroMi ha fatto piacere vedervi tutti.It was a pleasure to see you all.
- MartinaAnche a noi, a presto!Us too, see you soon!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries essere, grazie, per, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
