ありがたいことに
Arigatai koto ni
The English phrase 'thankfully' can be translated into Japanese as ありがたいことに (Arigatai koto ni).
ありがたいことに is used to express relief or gratitude regarding a specific circumstance that turned out favorably.
Meaning: fortunately (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective ありがたい (grateful/thankful), koto (thing/fact) and the particle ni (in/to), literally meaning 'in the fact that it is a thankful thing'.
How does it change in a sentence?
This phrase functions as a sentence adverb, typically placed at the beginning of a clause to set the tone for the entire statement.
How do you pronounce it?
Arigatai koto ni
Did you know?
- The root adjective ありがたい comes from the words for 'to be' あり and 'difficult' がたい, originally meaning something so rare that it is 'difficult to exist'.
- If you want to express 'thankfully' as a feeling of personal relief rather than a lucky circumstance, you might use 助かった (tasukatta), which literally means 'I was saved'.
- While ありがたいことに expresses luck, it carries a nuance of being indebted to a higher power or fate, unlike the more secular English 'fortunately'.
Examples in context
- ありがたいことに、隣は友人だった。Thankfully, my neighbor was a friend.This sentence shows how to express relief regarding a neighbor.Tatoeba #11038972 by small_snow, translation #11541637 by pip
- ありがたいことに、ドライブスルーは年中無休だった。Thankfully, the drive-thru was open 24/7.This sentence shows how to express relief regarding the availability of a drive-thru.Tatoeba #12144431 by small_snow, translation #10735785 by ddnktr
- 昨日の手伝い、本当に助かりました。(Kinou no tetsudai, hontou ni tasukarimashita.)I really appreciate your help yesterday.
- こちらこそ、お世話になりました。(Kochira koso, o-sewa ni narimashita.)No, I'm the one who should be thankful for your help.
- ありがたいことに、雨はすぐに止みました。Arigatai koto ni, ame wa sugu ni yamimashita.Thankfully, the rain stopped quickly.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a recent outdoor event.
- 美咲 Misaki晴天の下でイベントができて良かったね。Seiten no moto de ibento ga dekite yokatta ne.It was great that we could hold the event under a clear sky.
- 陽太 Yotaありがたいことに、天気は最高でした。Arigatai koto ni, tenki wa saiko deshita.Thankfully, the weather was excellent.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太君の準備が完璧だったおかげだよ。Yota-kun no junbi ga kanpeki datta okage dayo.It is thanks to your perfect preparation, Yota.
- 陽太 Yotaそんなことはないよ、運が良かっただけさ。Sonna koto wa nai yo, un ga yokatta dake sa.That's not true, I was just lucky.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
