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 | ||
| dankche | Alemannic German | |
| merci | /mɛʁˈsiː/ /ˈmɛʁ.si/ (Switzerland) |
Alemannic German |
| fergälts Got | Alemannic German | |
| vrattrus Got | Alemannic German | |
| wol vergelzgott | Alemannic German | |
| danksche |
You can use vielen Dank for 'many thanks' and Herzlichen Dank for 'heartfelt thanks'. If you want to say 'I would like to thank you', you can use Ich möchte mich bedanken. To specify the reason for your gratitude, use Danke für… followed by the accusative case. For example, Dankeschön für Ihre Hilfe is used in a formal context, while Dankeschön für deine Hilfe is used in an informal context. Note that when used as a single noun meaning 'a thank you' or 'a word of thanks', it is written as one word: das Dankeschön.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal and polite way to express gratitude, you can use haben Sie vielen Dank.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Alemannic-German, you may encounter dankche, merci, fergälts Got, vrattrus Got or wol vergelzgott. In Switzerland, due to French influence, merci is used to express gratitude.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase vielen Dank uses the accusative case of the noun Dank, which literally translates to 'many thanks'.
When do people say it?
The most common response to danke or danke schön is Bitte schön! Additionally, while Bitte can mean 'please', it is also the standard way to say 'you're welcome' in response to danke.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Danke für den Rat!Thank you for the advice.This sentence is useful for thanking someone for their 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 their 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
- 936 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian gives Laura a small gift.
- MaximilianHier ist ein kleines Geschenk für dich.Here is a small gift for you.
- LauraOh, danke, Maximilian!Oh, thank you, Maximilian!
- MaximilianGerne geschehen.You're welcome.
- LauraEs 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.
