Vielen Dank
In German, a formal way to say "thank you in formal way" is Vielen Dank.
Vielen Dank is a polite expression used to show gratitude in professional or formal situations, translating to "Thank you very much."
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "many thanks", where vielen is the inflected form of viel (much/many) and Dank is the noun for "thanks".
Which one should you use?
While Vielen Dank is a standard formal way to express gratitude, Danke schön is slightly more common in everyday polite social interactions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word vielen ends in -en because it is an adjective in the accusative masculine singular case, modifying the masculine noun Dank.
When do people say it?
In a professional or service-oriented context, a common and polite way to respond to Vielen Dank is Gerne! (meaning "gladly" or "with pleasure"). To respond formally, you can also use Bitte sehr! or Bitte schön! to mean "You are very welcome".
Did you know?
- If you want to be exceptionally humble in a traditional setting, you can respond to thanks with Nichts zu danken. This literally translates to 'nothing to thank', suggesting that the favor was so small it does not even require acknowledgment.
- The German word Dank is an ancient relative of the English word 'thank', both descending from the same Proto-Germanic root. This makes the word a 'cognate', a linguistic sibling that you have been using your whole life without realizing it.
- In professional correspondence, Germans use the specific phrase Vielen Dank im Voraus to say 'thank you in advance'. It is often used as a polite way to nudge someone for a response.
Examples in context
- vielen Dank für Ihre Hilfe bei der Organisation des Meetings.Thank you very much for your help with organizing the meeting.
- Ihnen meinen herzlichen Dank auszusprechen ist kaum genug, um meine Wertschätzung auszudrücken.To express my heartfelt thanks to you is hardly enough to express my appreciation.
- ich möchte mich herzlich bei Ihnen bedanken, dass Sie mir die Möglichkeit gegeben haben, an Ihrer Forschungsarbeit mitzuwirken.I would like to thank you sincerely for giving me the opportunity to participate in your research work.
- Vielen Dank für Ihre wertvollen Ratschläge und Ihre Geduld.Thank you very much for your valuable advice and your patience.
- Vielen Dank für Ihre Hilfe.Thank you very much for your help.
- Vielen Dank für die Einladung.Many thanks for the invitation.
- Vielen Dank für das angenehme Gespräch.Thank you very much for the pleasant conversation.
Example conversation
Lukas is leaving a business meeting with Sarah.
- LukasVielen Dank für das Gespräch, Frau Sarah.Thank you very much for the conversation, Ms. Sarah.
- SarahGern geschehen, Herr Lukas.You are welcome, Mr. Lukas.
- LukasIch schicke Ihnen die Unterlagen morgen.I will send you the documents tomorrow.
- SarahDas klingt gut. Auf Wiedersehen!That sounds good. Goodbye!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dank, dank, CC BY-SA 4.0.
