What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ありがとうございます consists of arigatō, meaning rare or precious and gozaimasu, meaning to be or exist. Literally, it conveys the idea that the current state of things is rare and precious.
Which one should you use?
The shorter form ありがとう is informal and used with friends, family or people of lower social status. In contrast, ありがとうございます is required for formal or polite situations. Additionally, どうもありがとうございます is a more polite version of ありがとうございます that adds emphasis.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ありがとうございます is the standard polite way to say thank you to strangers, teachers, bosses or anyone to whom you wish to show respect. Use ありがとう for casual interactions with those close to you, while 感謝します is a formal way to express gratitude in business contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To thank someone for an action that has already been completed, change the ending to the past tense ありがとうございました.
How do you pronounce it?
arigatō gozaimasu
Did you know?
- While ありがとうございます expresses gratitude, Japanese speakers sometimes use すみません (sumimasen), which literally means 'excuse me' or 'I am sorry', to thank someone for a favor that caused the other person trouble.
- In Japanese culture, it is common to accompany ありがとうございます with a bow, and the deeper the bow, the more profound the gratitude is being expressed.
- In certain contexts, saying ありがとうございます too frequently can actually seem impolite, as it may imply that the other person is a stranger or an outsider.
Examples in context
- 手伝っていただき、ありがとうございます。Tetsudatte itadaki, arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you for helping me.
- いつも、ありがとうございます。Itsumo, arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you for everything you always do.
Example conversation
Youta is thanking Yui for her advice at work.
- 陽太 Yotaアドバイスを、ありがとうございます。Adobaisu o, arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you for the advice.
- 結衣 Yuiいえいえ、どういたしまして。Iie iie, douitashimashite.No, no, you're welcome.
- 陽太 Yotaとても助かりました。Totemo tasukarimashita.It was a great help.
- 結衣 Yuiまたいつでも聞いてください。Mata itsudemo kiite kudasai.Please ask me anytime.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ありがとうございます, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
