Большое спасибо
The English phrase 'thanks a lot' is expressed in Russian as Большое спасибо.
You can use Большое спасибо to mean 'Thank you very much.' If you wish to specify what you are grateful for, you can use the construction Спасибо большое за… to say 'Thank you very much for…' by adding the specific reason or item at the end.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Большое спасибо is composed of the adjective большое (big/large) and the noun спасибо (thanks).
Which one should you use?
While Большое спасибо means 'thanks a lot', the simpler Спасибо is the standard way to say 'thanks' and is sufficient for most everyday situations.
Did you know?
- Because спасибо originates from a request for God to 'save' someone, the word carries a much more intense historical meaning than the modern English 'thanks'.
- In very formal or high-status settings, some Russians may prefer the word благодарю over спасибо. This word comes from 'blago' (blessing) and 'dar' (gift), meaning 'I give you a blessing'.
- Using Большое спасибо with a sarcastic tone can be used to politely but firmly signal that someone's 'help' actually made a situation worse.
Examples in context
- Большое спасибо за совет.Thanks a lot for the advice.This sentence is useful for expressing gratitude for advice using Большое спасибо.Tatoeba #4063944 by odexed, translation #4055074 by soobee620
- Большое спасибо, что выручил.Thanks a lot for helping out.This sentence is useful for expressing gratitude for helping out using Большое спасибо.Tatoeba #7145506 by marafon, translation #3162044 by CK
- Большое спасибо за приглашение.Thanks a lot for the invitation.This sentence is useful for expressing gratitude for an invitation using Большое спасибо.Tatoeba #825692 by ae5s, translation #5768330 by Cainntear
- Спасибо большое за помощьThank you very much for your help
- Спасибо большое за подарокThank you very much for the gift
- Большое спасибо за помощь! Ты мне очень помог/помогла!Thank you very much for your help! You helped me a lot!
- Большое человеческое спасибо за подарок!A big human thank you for the gift!
- Спасибо огромнейшее за вежливость!A huge thank you for your politeness!
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sergey helps Maria carry a heavy bag to her car.
- Мария MariaБольшое спасибо, Сергей!Bol'shoye spasibo, Sergey!Thanks a lot, Sergey!
- Сергей SergeyНе за что, Мария.Ne za chto, Mariya.You're welcome, Maria.
- Мария MariaТы очень помог мне.Ty ochen' pomog mne.You helped me a lot.
- Сергей SergeyРад был помочь.Rad byl pomoch'.I was glad to help.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries спасибо, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
