Gracias por tu servicio
/ɡɾaθjas poɾ tu seɾbiθjo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "thank you for your service" is expressed as Gracias por tu servicio.
This phrase is used to express gratitude to members of the military or those in public service roles.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Gracias (thanks), por (for), tu (your) and servicio (service).
Which one should you use?
The default form Gracias por tu servicio uses the informal tu, which is appropriate for someone your own age or younger, whereas su is more respectful for elders or strangers.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use the form Gracias por su servicio when addressing a veteran or service member with formal respect.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡɾaθjas poɾ tu seɾbiθjo/
Did you know?
- Unlike in the United States, where 'thank you for your service' is a common social script, there is no culturally equivalent fixed phrase in most Spanish-speaking countries. Using Gracias por su servicio can sometimes sound like a literal translation from English rather than a native expression.
- Depending on the country, a person in public service might be addressed as mi comandante or mi capitán as a sign of respect, even if the speaker is not in the military.
- The word gracias descends from the Latin phrase gratias agere, which literally means 'to act' or 'to do' thanks.
Examples in context
- Gracias por tu servicio, soldado.Thank you for your service, soldier.
- Gracias por tu servicio a la patria.Thank you for your service to the nation.
Example conversation
Elena meets Alejandro, who is wearing a military uniform.
- ElenaHola, Alejandro. Gracias por tu servicio.Hello, Alejandro. Thank you for your service.
- AlejandroMuchas gracias, Elena. Es un placer.Thank you very much, Elena. It is a pleasure.
- ElenaEsperamos que estés muy bien.We hope that you are doing very well.
- AlejandroTodo está bien, gracias por preguntar.Everything is fine, thanks for asking.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gracias, por, servicio, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
