神様、ありがとうございます
kamisama, arigatō gozaimasu
The Japanese phrase for "thank you God" is 神様、ありがとうございます (kamisama, arigatō gozaimasu).
神様、ありがとうございます is used in a general sense to express gratitude to a divine being, regardless of specific religious affiliation.
Which one should you use?
While 神様、ありがとうございます is a standard way to express thanks, you can use the past tense 神様、ありがとうございました to express gratitude for a specific event or blessing that has just concluded.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can make the expression more casual or intimate by dropping gozaimasu from the end, resulting in 神様、ありがとう.
How do you pronounce it?
kamisama, arigatō gozaimasu
Did you know?
- The root of ありがとう comes from あり難い, which literally means 'it is difficult for this to exist', implying that the blessing from 神様 is a rare miracle.
- If you are expressing gratitude at a Shinto shrine, you might not use words at all. Often, a simple bow and a rhythmic clap are considered a non-verbal way to communicate your thanks and presence to the deity.
- While 神様 is used in prayer, Japanese people more commonly use the phrase よかった ('yokatta') to express the feeling of 'Thank God' when a stressful situation ends well.
Examples in context
- 無事でいられて、神様、ありがとうございます。Buji de irarete, kamisama, arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you, God, for letting me be safe.
- 合格できました。神様、ありがとうございます。Goukaku dekimashita. Kamisama, arigatou gozaimasu.I passed the exam. Thank you, God.
Example conversation
At a shrine, Yota and Misaki are praying for a good year.
- 陽太 Yota神様、ありがとうございます。Kamisama, arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you, God.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太さん、願いは届きましたか？Yota-san, negai wa todokimashita ka?Yota, did your wish reach Him?
- 陽太 Yotaはい、きっと届いています。Hai, kitto todoite imasu.Yes, I'm sure it did.
- 美咲 Misaki私も、神様、ありがとうございますと祈りました。Watashi mo, kamisama, arigatou gozaimasu to inorimashita.I also prayed, 'Thank you, God.'
