Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| gracias | /ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas] /ˈɡɾasjas/ [ˈɡɾa.sjas] (Latin America, Philippines) |
| muchas gracias | /ˌmut͡ʃas ˈɡɾaθjas/ /ˌmut͡ʃas ˈɡɾasjas/ |
The word gracias is the most common and widely used phrase for expressing gratitude in Spanish.
Which one should you use?
While gracias is the standard way to say thank you, muchas gracias is a stronger and more emphatic version used to say 'many thanks' or 'thank you very much'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, you can add a friendly touch to your gratitude by saying Gracias, che. In Mexico, Gracias, güey is used as a casual expression of appreciation.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to specify what you are thankful for, use the preposition por immediately after gracias (e.g., gracias por…).
How do you pronounce it?
gracias is pronounced /ˈɡɾaθjas/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
The most common response to gracias is de nada, which literally means 'it is nothing'.
Did you know?
- The word gracia does not only mean 'thanks' but also refers to 'grace' in a religious sense or 'wit' and 'humor' in a social sense.
- English speakers might be surprised to find that gracias is almost always plural, as the singular gracia refers to a specific favor or a quality of elegance.
- The word gracias comes from the Latin phrase gratias agere, which literally means 'to perform or give thanks'.
Examples in context
- No gracias, ya comí.No, thank you. I already ate.Tatoeba #5058128 by don_ramon, translation #5057521 by AlanF_US
- Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?Fine, thank you. And you?Tatoeba #532246 by cueyayotl, translation #239430 by sundown
- Gracias por la ayuda.Thank you for the help.This sentence demonstrates the use of gracias followed by the preposition por to specify the reason for thanks.Tatoeba #1901472 by marcelostockle, translation #2646007 by CK
- Gracias por la ayudaThank you for the help
- 328 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo gives Elena a coffee at the office.
- ElenaMateo, ¿me puedes traer un café?Mateo, can you bring me a coffee?
- MateoSí, aquí tienes.Yes, here you go.
- ElenaMuchas gracias, eres muy amable.Many thanks, you are very kind.
- MateoDe nada, Elena.You're welcome, Elena.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries gracias, muchas gracias, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gracias, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
