gracias
/ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas]
In Spanish, 'thank you' is expressed as gracias. Wiktionary also lists muchas gracias.
Meaning: an expression of gratitude (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| gracias | /ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas] /ˈɡɾasjas/ [ˈɡɾa.sjas] (Latin America, Philippines) |
| muchas gracias | /ˌmut͡ʃas ˈɡɾaθjas/ /ˌmut͡ʃas ˈɡɾasjas/ |
The primary way to express gratitude is with gracias. For more emphasis, you can use muchas gracias to mean 'thank you very much'. To express even greater gratitude, you might say mil gracias, which literally means 'a thousand thanks'.
Which one should you use?
While gracias is the standard way to say thank you, muchas gracias is a stronger and more emphatic version. Mil gracias is another common way to express much greater gratitude than a simple gracias.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to express gratitude for a specific thing, use the preposition por after gracias (e.g., gracias por…).
How do you pronounce it?
{'ipa': '/ˈɡɾaθjas/', 'syllables': 3, 'stressed_syllable': '1 of 3'}
When do people say it?
The most common way to respond to gracias is to say de nada, which means 'you're welcome'.
Did you know?
- The word gracia also means 'wit' or 'humor' in Spanish. If someone tells a joke, you might describe the joke as having gracia rather than using it to say thank you.
- In some Latin American countries, if someone does you a huge favor, you might say te debo una, which means 'I owe you one' as a way to supplement your thanks.
- In Spain, you might hear muchas gracias spoken with a 'th' sound, while in Mexico and Colombia, it is pronounced with an 's' sound.
Examples in context
- No gracias, ya comí.No, thank you. I already ate.This sentence shows how to use gracias to politely decline something.Tatoeba #5058128 by don_ramon, translation #5057521 by AlanF_US
- Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?Fine, thank you. And you?This sentence demonstrates using gracias as a response to a status inquiry.Tatoeba #532246 by cueyayotl, translation #239430 by sundown
- Gracias por la ayuda.Thank you for the help.This sentence illustrates how to use gracias with a preposition to thank someone for a specific action.Tatoeba #1901472 by marcelostockle, translation #2646007 by CK
- 328 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are at a cafe.
- JavierMaría, aquí tienes tu postre.Maria, here is your dessert.
- María¡Muchas gracias, Javier!Thank you very much, Javier!
- JavierDe nada, disfruta tu comida.You're welcome, enjoy your food.
- MaríaGracias, se ve muy bien.Thank you, it looks very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries gracias, muchas gracias, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
