धन्यवाद सर
dhanyavaad sar/d̪ʱən.jə.ʋɑːd̪ səɾ/word by word
The English phrase "thank you sir" is translated into Hindi as धन्यवाद सर (dhanyavaad sar).
धन्यवाद सर is a polite expression used to show gratitude to a man in a formal setting. The component सर is a direct loanword from English and is widely used in professional or formal Indian settings to address a man.
Which one should you use?
While धन्यवाद is a formal way to say thank you, you may encounter shukriya, which is more common in conversational or poetic Urdu-influenced Hindi.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In North India, a common variation meaning "thank you, sir" is Dhanyavaad, Saheb.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is dhanyavaad sar. The syllables are 3. IPA: /d̪ʱən.jə.ʋɑːd̪ səɾ/.
Did you know?
- In very traditional settings, some people may avoid saying धन्यवाद because expressing formal gratitude can imply a social distance or a transactional relationship rather than a familial bond.
- The English loanword सर used in this phrase is actually a linguistic homonym in Hindi. Depending on its Sanskrit or Persian origins, the same sound could also mean 'head', 'arrow', or even 'lake'.
- In many Indian workplaces, subordinates may repeat सर multiple times in a single sentence to emphasize respect, a habit that can sound redundant to English speakers.
Examples in context
- बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद सर।bahut-bahut dhanyavad sar.Thank you very much, sir.
- आपकी मदद के लिए धन्यवाद सर।aapki madad ke liye dhanyavad sar.Thank you, sir, for your help.
- समय देने के लिए धन्यवाद सर।samay dene ke liye dhanyavad sar.Thank you, sir, for giving your time.
Example conversation
Neha is thanking her male teacher, Rahul, after a class.
- राहुल Rahulनेहा, क्या तुम्हें सब समझ आया?Neha, kya tumhein sab samajh aaya?Neha, did you understand everything?
- नेहा Nehaहाँ, सब साफ़ है। धन्यवाद सर।haan, sab saaf hai. dhanyavaad sir.Yes, everything is clear. Thank you sir.
- राहुल Rahulबहुत अच्छा। अब तुम जा सकती हो।bahut achha. ab tum ja sakti ho.Very good. You may go now.
- नेहा Nehaजी, कल मिलते हैं।jee, kal milte hain.Yes, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (धन्यवाद, सर) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries धन्यवाद, सर, CC BY-SA 4.0.
