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 | /ɪç ˈzaː.ɡə daŋk/ (word by word) | |
| 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 |
Expressions of gratitude in German range from the simple and informal danke to more emphatic or formal phrases. For example, danke schön is a common, polite and slightly more emphasized way to say 'thank you' in everyday situations. To express immense gratitude informally, you can say Tausend Dank (a thousand thanks).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase vielen Dank literally means 'many thanks', composed of vielen (many/much) and Dank (thanks/gratitude).
Which one should you use?
While danke is a common way to say 'thank you', vielen Dank is slightly more emphatic, meaning 'many thanks'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The most common form, danke, is an informal way to say thank you. For formal situations, such as professional or polite written correspondence, you can use haben Sie vielen Dank (have many thanks) or the formal phrase Herzlichen Dank to convey heartfelt thanks.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Alemannic-German, you may encounter forms such as dankche, fergälts Got, vrattrus Got or wol vergelzgott. Additionally, merci is a French borrowing commonly heard in parts of western Germany, particularly near the borders with France, Luxembourg and Belgium.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing what you are thanking someone for, use the preposition für (for), which always takes the accusative case.
When do people say it?
The standard response to danke is bitte, which carries the meanings of both 'you're welcome' and 'please'.
Did you know?
- While danke is used for gratitude, the same word can be used in a different context to mean 'no thank you' when refusing an offer.
- In Germany, saying danke too many times in a short conversation can sometimes be perceived as overly formal or even insincere.
- The formal pronoun Sie used in haben Sie vielen Dank was capitalized in the 17th century specifically to tell it apart from the word for 'she' or 'they'.
Examples in context
- Danke für den Rat!Thank you for the advice.This sentence is useful for thanking someone for 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 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
- Danke, dass du mir geholfen hast.Thank you for helping me.
- Vielen Dank für das hübsche Geschenk.Many thanks for the lovely gift.
- Tausend Dank, du hast mir wirklich aus der Patsche geholfen.Thanks a million, you really saved me.
- Danke schön für Ihre Unterstützung.Thank you very much for your support.
- Herzlichen Dank für Ihr Verständnis.Thank you very much for your understanding.
- Ich danke Ihnen aufrichtig für Ihre Großzügigkeit.I sincerely thank you for your generosity.
- 936 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Julia are finishing a quick coffee break at work.
- JulianDanke für den Kaffee, Julia.Thank you for the coffee, Julia.
- JuliaGerne, Julian!You're welcome, Julian!
- JulianDanke, das war sehr nett.Thank you, that was very kind.
- JuliaKein 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.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ich, Sage, Dank) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dank, Sie, dank, danke, haben, ich, sie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
