Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ありがとう | arigatō | [a̠ɾʲiɡa̠to̞ː] (narrow) [a̠˨ɾi˦ɡ̃a̠˨to̞ː˨˨] (narrow) |
| ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | [a̠ɾʲiɡa̠to̞ː ɡo̞za̠ima̠sɨ̥] (narrow) |
| どうもありがとう | dōmo arigatō | [do̞ːmo̞ a̠ɾʲiɡa̠to̞ː] (narrow) |
| どうも | dōmo | [do̞ːmo̞] (narrow) |
| サンキュー | sankyū | [sã̠ŋʲkʲɨː] (narrow) |
| 大きに | ōkini | [o̞ːkʲiɲ̟i] (narrow) |
The expressions are used to show gratitude.
Which one should you use?
ありがとうございます is a polite way to say thank you, whereas ありがとう is the informal version. To add emphasis to your gratitude in an informal setting, you can use どうもありがとう, which is similar to saying "thanks a lot." For a very casual, shorthand version of "thanks" in daily situations, you can use どうも. Additionally, サンキュー is a loanword from English used in trendy or youthful, slangy speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ありがとうございます is a common way to say thank you in formal situations and should be used when speaking to superiors or strangers. In contrast, ありがとう is suitable for friends, family or people of lower social status. For an even more casual and shorthand way to say "thanks," you can use どうも. In very formal settings, such as business environments, an elevated level of gratitude can be expressed with お礼申し上げます. Finally, サンキュー is considered slang and is used in very casual or youthful speech.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region (such as Osaka), the colloquial expression 大きに is used to mean "thank you very much" or to express that something is done "greatly."
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite form ありがとうございます ends with the auxiliary verb ございます, which adds a level of formality and respect to the phrase.
How do you pronounce it?
arigatō
Did you know?
- The phrase ありがとう originally meant that something was 'difficult to exist' or 'hard to be'. It evolved from the idea that a certain occurrence was so rare and special that it was precious.
Examples in context
- ありがとう。Thank you!This sentence is useful for a simple "Thank you!"Tatoeba #1532832 by bunbuku, translation #374827 by sysko
- 電話ありがとう。Thank you for calling.This sentence is useful for saying "Thank you for calling.".Tatoeba #3401026 by arnab, translation #64155 by CK
- 本当にありがとう。Thank you very much!This sentence is useful for saying "Thank you very much!"Tatoeba #81557 by tommy_san, translation #1564 by adjusting
- 387 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiroto gives a small gift to Misaki at school.
- 大翔 Hirotoこれ、プレゼントだよ。Kore, purezento dayo.This is a present for you.
- 美咲 Misakiわあ、ありがとう！Waa, arigatou!Wow, thank you!
- 大翔 Hiroto喜んでもらえてよかった。Yorokonde moraete yokatta.I'm glad you like it.
- 美咲 Misaki大切にするね。Taisetsu ni suru ne.I will cherish it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries ありがとう, ありがとうございます, どうもありがとう, どうも, サンキュー, 大きに, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ありがとう, ありがとうございます, どうも, どうもありがとう, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
