Ways to say it
| Armenian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| շնորհակալություն | šnorhakalutʻyun | /ʃ(ə)noɾ(h)ɑkɑluˈtʰjun/ (Eastern Armenian) /ʃənoɾ(h)ɑɡɑluˈtʏn/ (Western Armenian) |
| շնորհակալ եմ | šnorhakal em | /ʃ(ə)noɾɑˈkɑl em/ (Eastern Armenian) /ʃənoɾɑˈɡɑl em/ (Western Armenian) |
| մերսի | mersi | /meɾˈsi/ (Eastern Armenian) /meɾˈsi/ (Western Armenian) |
To express gratitude, you can use the noun շնորհակալություն (gratitude) or the phrase շնորհակալ եմ (I am thankful). When you want to thank someone for a specific object or action, use the construction շնորհակալ եմ [thing]-ի համար. For a very casual way to say thanks, you can use the loanword մերսի.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase շնորհակալ եմ literally means I am thankful.
Which one should you use?
շնորհակալություն is a formal noun meaning "gratitude" and is often used as a standalone way to say "thank you". In contrast, շնորհակալ եմ is a verbal phrase meaning "I am thankful" used to express your gratitude within a sentence.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
շնորհակալություն is a formal term. շնորհակալ եմ is a common way to say thank you in formal contexts. մերսի is an informal loanword from French used frequently in colloquial Armenian.
How does it change in a sentence?
շնորհակալություն is a noun meaning "gratitude" or "thankfulness", whereas շնորհակալ եմ is a verbal phrase used to say "I thank you".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of շնորհակալություն is /ʃ(ə)noɾ(h)ɑkɑluˈtʰjun/. In this guide, the following English sounds are used for comparison: [sh]ip for /ʃ/, [a]gain for /ə/, [n]est for /n/, [h]ot for /h/, l[a]va for /ɑ/, s[c]an for /k/, [l]ace for /l/, c[oo]l for /u/, [t]op for /tʰ/ and [y]es for /j/.
When do people say it?
The standard response to any form of thank you in Armenian is Խնդրեմ, which means "please" or "you're welcome".
Did you know?
- The casual word մերսի entered the Armenian language when repatriates from the diaspora returned to the Armenian SSR between 1946 and 1948.
- The formal word for 'gratitude', շնորհակալություն, is built from the root շնորհ, which refers to 'grace' or 'favor'.
- In Armenian culture, overly frequent use of the formal շնորհակալություն in very close family settings can sometimes feel unexpectedly stiff or distant.
Examples in context
- Շնորհակալ եմ նվերի համար:Thank you for the present.This sentence shows how to use շնորհակալ եմ to thank someone for a present.Tatoeba #13397493 by Proxima5, translation #274353 by CK
- Շնորհակալ եմ սուրճի համար:Thank you for the coffee.This sentence shows how to use շնորհակալ եմ to thank someone for coffee.Tatoeba #13079736 by Proxima5, translation #2645021 by CK
- Ա՜խ, շնորհակալ եմ, սիրելիս։Ah, I thank you, my dear.This sentence shows a way to use շնորհակալ եմ to thank a loved one.Tatoeba #13220555 by Proxima5, translation #1807904 by Ameer
- Shnorhakal em (Շնորհակալ եմ)Thank you.
- Shnorhakalutyun (Շնորհակալություն)I express my gratitude.
- Mersi (Մերսի)Thanks.
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lilian gives Artash a book she bought for him.
- Արտաշ ArtashԱյս գիրքը շատ հետաքրքիր է։Ays girk'y shat hetak'rkir e.This book is very interesting.
- Լիլիան LilianՈւրախ եմ, որ քեզ դուր եկավ։Urakh yem, vor qez dur ekav.I am happy that you liked it.
- Արտաշ ArtashՇնորհակալություն, Լիլիան։Shnorhakalut'yun, Lilian.Thank you, Lilian.
- Լիլիան LilianԽնդրեմ։Khndrem.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries շնորհակալություն, շնորհակալ եմ, մերսի, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries եմ, մերսի, շնորհակալ, շնորհակալություն, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
