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 | ||
| 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 |
The primary way to express gratitude is through several forms. Danke is the most commonly used way to say thank you and is appropriate for informal settings. For a slightly stronger and more polite way to say 'many thanks', you can use vielen Dank. Other common variations include danke schön, which is a very common and slightly more polite version of the simple danke, as well as danke sehr, ich danke schön, ich danke sehr, ich sage Dank, habe vielen Dank and danksche.
Which one should you use?
While danke is the standard way to say thank you, vielen Dank is a slightly stronger and more polite way to say 'many thanks'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal settings, such as when speaking with strangers or in professional environments, you can use haben Sie vielen Dank or vielen Dank.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Alemannic dialects, which are spoken in parts of Switzerland and Southern Germany, you may encounter the following forms: dankche, merci, fergälts Got, vrattrus Got and wol vergelzgott.
How does it change in a sentence?
When thanking someone for a specific object or action, use the preposition für followed by the accusative case, such as in Danke für das Buch.
When do people say it?
The most common response to danke is bitte.
Did you know?
- The dialect forms fergälts Got and wol vergelzgott essentially thank God for the favor received.
- The English word 'thank' and the German word Dank are distant cousins, both descending from the same Proto-Germanic root *þankaz.
- The German word bitte, which is the standard response to 'thank you', also means 'please' when used in other contexts.
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
- Vielen Dank für deine HilfeThank you for your help
- 936 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas gives Sarah a flower.
- LukasHier ist eine Blume für dich.Here is a flower for you.
- SarahOh, danke, Lukas!Oh, thank you, Lukas!
- LukasGern geschehen.You're welcome.
- SarahSie ist wirklich sehr schön.It is really very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries danke, danke schön, vielen Dank, merci, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dank, Sie, dank, danke, haben, ich, sie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
