How to Say “Thank You Politely” in French

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merci beaucoup
/mɛʁ.si bo.ku/
merci beaucoup is the French way to say thank you politely.
merci beaucoup is used to express gratitude in a strong or formal way. For even more formal spoken situations, you can use Je vous remercie to say "I thank you". In formal written communication, you might use the phrase Veuillez accepter mes remerciements, which means "Please accept my thanks".

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of merci (thank you) and beaucoup (much or a lot).

Which one should you use?

While merci is the standard way to say thank you, merci beaucoup adds emphasis to express greater gratitude or to be more polite in formal settings.

How do you pronounce it?

/mɛʁ.si bo.ku/

When do people say it?

When someone says merci beaucoup to you in a formal setting, a common polite response is je vous en prie (you're welcome). In casual settings, the standard response is de rien (it's nothing / you're welcome).

Did you know?

  • The English word 'mercy' is a direct relative of the French merci, as both stem from the same Latin root regarding payment or reward.
  • In Old French, the word beaucoup literally meant a 'beautiful hit' or 'nice strike'.

Examples in context

  • Merci beaucoup pour votre aide précieuse.
    Thank you very much for your invaluable help.
  • Je vous remercie sincèrement pour votre soutien.
    I sincerely thank you for your support.
  • Veuillez accepter mes remerciements les plus distingués.
    Please accept my most distinguished thanks.
  • Merci d'être toujours là pour moi.
    Thanks for always being there for me.
  • Je te remercie du fond du cœur pour ce merveilleux cadeau.
    I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful gift.
  • Un grand merci pour cette belle soirée.
    A big thank you for this lovely evening.
  • Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.
    Thank you very much for your help.
  • Merci beaucoup, c'est très gentil.
    Thank you very much, that is very kind.

Example conversation

Hugo is thanking Chloé for her professional assistance at work.

  1. Hugo

    Merci beaucoup pour les documents, Chloé.
    Thank you very much for the documents, Chloé.
  2. Chloé

    Je vous en prie, Hugo.
    You are welcome, Hugo.
  3. Hugo

    Votre travail est excellent.
    Your work is excellent.
  4. Chloé

    C'est très gentil de votre part.
    That is very kind of you.

Sources

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Anna Miriam
Anna MiriamHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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