Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| danke | [ˈdaŋkə] (narrow) | |
| habe vielen Dank | ||
| haben Sie vielen Dank | formal | |
| ich danke schön | ||
| ich danke sehr | ||
| ich sage Dank | ||
| danke schön | [ˈdaŋkə ʃøːn] (narrow) | |
| danke sehr | ||
| vielen Dank | ||
| danksche | ||
| dankche | Alemannic German | |
| merci | /mɛʁˈsiː/ /ˈmɛʁ.si/ (Switzerland) |
Alemannic German |
| fergälts Got | Alemannic German | |
| vrattrus Got | Alemannic German | |
| wol vergelzgott | Alemannic German |
The phrase is an expression of gratitude. You can use several forms to vary your expression, such as vielen Dank, ich danke schön, ich danke sehr, ich sage Dank, danke schön, danke sehr, habe vielen Dank or danksche.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase vielen Dank literally translates to 'many thanks', where vielen is the inflected form of viel (much/many).
Which one should you use?
Danke is a shorter, more casual way to say 'thank you' compared to vielen Dank. While danke is simple, danke schön is a common, slightly more polite way to say 'thank you' than just danke.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To be more formal, you can use haben Sie vielen Dank, which uses the polite Sie form to mean 'many thanks to you'. Vielen Dank is also a formal way to say thank you, as is Herzlichen Dank, which translates to 'heartfelt thanks'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Alemannic-German, you might hear dankche, merci, fergälts Got, vrattrus Got or wol vergelzgott. Additionally, in border regions like Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, merci is used to express thanks.
How does it change in a sentence?
The preposition für is used to express the reason for thanks (meaning 'for'), and it always takes the accusative case.
When do people say it?
The standard response to danke is Bitte.
Did you know?
- In certain German contexts, saying danke when offered something can actually be interpreted as 'no thank you' and a polite refusal.
- While Bitte is the standard response to danke, it is also the same word Germans use to say 'please'.
- In some Alemannic dialects, phrases like fergälts Got are used, which literally ask God to reward the person being thanked.
Examples in context
- Danke für den Rat!Thank you for the advice.This sentence is useful for thanking someone for their advice using danke.Tatoeba #1836215 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #4474852 by AlanF_US
- Danke für den Tee!Thank you for the tea.This sentence is useful for thanking someone for their tea using danke.Tatoeba #3290170 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2646535 by CK
- Danke für das Buch.Thank you for the book.This sentence is useful for thanking someone for a book using danke.Tatoeba #4068145 by Esperantostern, translation #2646009 by CK
- Vielen Dank für Ihre BemühungenThank you for your efforts
- Herzlichen Dank für die EinladungHeartfelt thanks for the invitation
- Danke für deine HilfeThanks for your help
- 936 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian hands Sarah a pen she dropped.
- SarahOh, danke, Maximilian!Oh, thank you, Maximilian!
- MaximilianGerne, Sarah.You're welcome, Sarah.
- SarahDu bist sehr nett.You are very kind.
- MaximilianKein Problem!No problem!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries danke, danke schön, vielen Dank, merci, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
