Expressing gratitude is a universal gesture that transcends borders and cultures. Whether you’re traveling abroad, working with international colleagues, or simply want to show appreciation to someone from a different background, learning how to say “thank you” in their native language can go a long way. In this guide, we will explore various formal and informal ways to say thank you in different languages, along with some regional variations where applicable.
Table of Contents
1. Saying Thank You in European Languages
1.1 French:
Formal: Merci beaucoup (Thank you very much)
Informal: Merci (Thanks)
1.2 Spanish:
Formal: Muchas gracias (Thank you very much)
Informal: Gracias (Thanks)
1.3 German:
Formal: Vielen Dank (Many thanks)
Informal: Danke (Thanks)
1.4 Italian:
Formal: Grazie mille (Thank you very much)
Informal: Grazie (Thanks)
1.5 Portuguese:
Formal: Muito obrigado/a (Thank you very much)
Informal: Obrigado/a (Thanks)
2. Saying Thank You in Asian Languages
2.1 Mandarin Chinese:
Formal: 非常感谢 (Fēi cháng gǎn xiè) (Thank you very much)
Informal: 谢谢 (Xièxiè) (Thanks)
2.2 Japanese:
Formal: どうもありがとうございます (Dōmo arigatō gozaimasu) (Thank you very much)
Informal: ありがとう (Arigatō) (Thanks)
2.3 Korean:
Formal: 정말 감사합니다 (Jeongmal gamsahamnida) (Thank you very much)
Informal: 고마워 (Gomawo) (Thanks)
3. Saying Thank You in African Languages
3.1 Swahili:
Formal and Informal: Asante (Thank you)
3.2 Zulu:
Formal and Informal: Ngiyabonga (Thank you)
4. Saying Thank You in Middle Eastern Languages
4.1 Arabic:
Formal: شكرًا جزيلاً (Shukran jazeelan) (Thank you very much)
Informal: شكرًا (Shukran) (Thanks)
4.2 Hebrew:
Formal: תודה רבה (Toda raba) (Thank you very much)
Informal: תודה (Toda) (Thanks)
5. Saying Thank You in Indic Languages
5.1 Hindi:
Formal: बहुत धन्यवाद (Bahut dhanyawad) (Thank you very much)
Informal: धन्यवाद (Dhanyawad) (Thanks)
5.2 Bengali:
Formal: অনেক ধন্যবাদ (Onek dhonnobad) (Thank you very much)
Informal: ধন্যবাদ (Dhonnobad) (Thanks)
5.3 Tamil:
Formal and Informal: நன்றி (Nandri) (Thank you)
6. Saying Thank You in Polynesian Languages
6.1 Hawaiian:
Formal and Informal: Mahalo (Thank you)
6.2 Maori:
Formal and Informal: Kia ora (Thank you)
Conclusion
Learning how to say thank you in different languages can enhance your cultural understanding and help foster positive connections with people from diverse backgrounds. Remember to consider the appropriate level of formality and be mindful of any regional variations. Whether you’re expressing gratitude in French, Mandarin Chinese, Swahili, or any other language, a genuine “thank you” will always be appreciated.
