Gracias
/ɡɾaθjas/from spelling rules
The phrase for thank you to a lady in Spanish is Gracias.
You can add muchas before gracias to say Muchas gracias, which means thank you very much.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word Gracias is gender-neutral and does not change whether you are thanking a man or a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡɾaθjas/
Did you know?
- The word gracia can also mean 'wit' or 'humor', so telling someone they have gracia means they are funny, not that they are thankful.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to accompany Gracias with a light touch on the arm or a kiss on the cheek, depending on the level of intimacy.
- While Gracias is used globally, the pronunciation of the 'c' differs significantly between Spain, where it often sounds like 'th', and Latin America, where it sounds like 's'.
Examples in context
- Muchas gracias por ayudarme, señorita.Thank you very much for helping me, miss.
- Muchas gracias, señora.Thank you very much, ma'am.
- Gracias por su ayuda.Thank you for your help.
- Gracias por el regalo.Thank you for the gift.
Example conversation
Daniel gives a bouquet of flowers to María.
- María¡Muchas gracias, Daniel!Thank you very much, Daniel!
- DanielDe nada, María.You're welcome, María.
- MaríaSon muy bonitas. Gracias.They are very beautiful. Thank you.
- DanielEs un placer.It is a pleasure.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
