手伝ってくれてありがとう
tetsudatte kurete arigatō
In Japanese, 'thank you for the help' is expressed as 手伝ってくれてありがとう (tetsudatte kurete arigatō).
This phrase is used to express gratitude when someone has physically or actively assisted you with a specific task or action. If you need to express thanks in a more formal setting, you might use Arigatō gozaimasu. For much deeper gratitude in very formal situations, such as for significant help, Kansha shite orimasu is appropriate. To say 'Thank you very much', you can use Hontō ni arigatō gozaimasu.
Which one should you use?
The default form 手伝ってくれてありがとう is informal. In contrast, adding 'gozaimasu' to the end to create 手伝ってくれてありがとうございます makes the phrase polite and suitable for use with strangers or superiors. If you are expressing thanks for help that was received in the past, use Arigatō gozaimashita.
How do you pronounce it?
tetsudatte kurete arigatō
Did you know?
- In Japan, you might express gratitude by saying sumimasen, which often translates to 'excuse me' or 'sorry'. This acknowledges that the helper went out of their way to accommodate you, turning an apology into a way of showing respect.
- Because the verb kureru in the phrase means 'to give to me', the sentence structure treats the act of helping as a physical gift. You are essentially saying 'thank you for giving me the gift of your assistance'.
- A bow performed during a thank you can communicate the level of gratitude more clearly than the words themselves, with deeper bows indicating more significant help.
Examples in context
- 手伝ってくれてありがとう。Thank you for the help.This sentence is useful for expressing thanks for the help provided.Tatoeba #4478287 by tommy_san, translation #2646007 by CK
- ありがとうございます。Thank you very much.
- 本当に感謝しています。I'm truly grateful.
- 荷物の整理、手伝ってくれてありがとう。Nimotsu no seiri, tetsudatte kurete arigatou.Thank you for helping me organize the luggage.
- 宿題を手伝ってくれてありがとう！Shukudai o tetsudatte kurete arigatou!Thank you for helping me with my homework!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are cleaning up a classroom after school.
- 結衣 Yui教室の掃除、手伝ってくれてありがとう。Kyoushitsu no souji, tetsudatte kurete arigatou.Thank you for helping me clean the classroom.
- 大翔 Hirotoいえいえ、全然大丈夫だよ。Iie iie, zenzen daijoubu da yo.No problem, it was no trouble at all.
- 結衣 Yui大翔くんは本当に優しいね。Hiroto-kun wa hontou ni yasashii ne.You are really kind, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hirotoそう言ってもらえると嬉しいよ。Sou itte moraeru to ureshii yo.I'm happy to hear you say that.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
