Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| धन्यवाद | dhanyavād | /d̪ʱən.jə.ʋɑːd̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| शुक्रिया | śukriyā | /ʃʊk.ɾɪ.jɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| थैंक्यू | tha͠ikyū | colloquial |
All three forms are used to express an expression of gratitude.
Which one should you use?
धन्यवाद is the more formal and Sanskrit-derived way to express gratitude, whereas शुक्रिया is a more common, conversational way to say thank you that is derived from Persian/Urdu roots. The third form, थैंक्यू, is an English loanword.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
धन्यवाद is used in official or written contexts. शुक्रिया is a commonly used casual phrase, and थैंक्यू is a colloquialism used in urban, informal Hindi conversations.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Fijian Hindi, धन्यवाद is the most common way to say thank you and शुक्रिया is also a commonly used casual phrase to express gratitude.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'to thank someone' in Hindi, you use the verb 'denā' (to give) with the noun धन्यवाद to form the phrase धन्यवाद देना.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of धन्यवाद is /d̪ʱən.jə.ʋɑːd̪/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In many traditional Indian households, saying धन्यवाद or शुक्रिया to a very close family member can actually seem cold or overly formal.
- The formal धन्यवाद is built from the Sanskrit root धन्य, which relates to being 'blessed' or 'fortunate'.
- The word शुक्रिया is a cognate with the words for 'thank you' in Bengali, Punjabi and Dhivehi.
Examples in context
- मैं टॉम को धन्यवाद कहना चाहता हूं।I want to say thank you to Tom.This sentence is useful for practicing how to express the desire to thank someone using धन्यवाद.Tatoeba #8889342 by simranbansal, translation #5788622 by CK
- हमारी भाषा में रूचि रखने के लिए धन्यवाद्।Thank you for your interest in our language.This sentence shows how to use धन्यवाद to express gratitude for an action.Tatoeba #9928887 by anushka, translation #9927218 by Linguando
- आप कैसे हैं? बहुत बढ़िया। और आप? बहुत बढ़िया, शुक्रिया।How are you? Great. And you? Great, thank you.This sentence demonstrates the use of शुक्रिया in a conversational way.Tatoeba #9004646 by AnjaliNoronha, translation #9839066 by anushka
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rahul hands Neha a book she was looking for.
- राहुल Rahulयह रही आपकी किताब, नेहा।Yeh rahi aapki kitaab, Neha.Here is your book, Neha.
- नेहा Nehaमदद के लिए धन्यवाद, राहुल।Madad ke liye dhanyavaad, Rahul.Thank you for the help, Rahul.
- राहुल Rahulकोई बात नहीं।Koi baat nahi.It's no problem.
- नेहा Nehaआप बहुत दयालु हैं।Aap bahut dayalu hain.You are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries धन्यवाद, शुक्रिया, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries धन्यवाद, शुक्रिया, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
