danke
[ˈdaŋkə]
The German phrase for "thanks" is danke.
danke is used to express appreciation or gratitude. Related nouns include Dank (grateful feelings) and Danksagung (an expression of gratitude).
Meaning: used to express appreciation or gratitude (intj)
Which one should you use?
While danke is the basic form, you can use vielen Dank to express a higher degree of gratitude or to sound more formal, which translates to "many thanks".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, Dankeschön and Vielen Dank are popular ways to express thanks. In Switzerland, you may use Merci to express appreciation.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
You can make the expression more polite and emphasize your gratitude by adding schön to create danke schön (thank you very much). Another common, slightly more emphatic way to say thank you is Danke sehr.
When do people say it?
The standard response to danke is bitte! (you're welcome/please).
Did you know?
- In Germany, saying danke when offered a second helping of food or a drink can actually mean 'no thanks', effectively declining the offer.
- The word schön in danke schön literally means 'beautiful' or 'nice', adding a layer of aesthetic politeness to the gratitude.
- Because danke is an ellipsis of ich danke dir, it is technically a verb in disguise. This is why you might occasionally see it used in more complex grammatical structures than a simple exclamation.
Examples in context
- Danke für den Rat!Thanks for the advice.This sentence shows how to use danke to thank someone for advice.Tatoeba #1836215 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1836198 by Spamster
- Danke für den Tipp!Thanks for the hint.This sentence shows how to use danke to thank someone for a hint.Tatoeba #3003010 by pne, translation #1832186 by Spamster
- Danke für den Kuss!Thanks for the kiss.This sentence shows how to use danke to thank someone for a kiss.Tatoeba #3351654 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3347612 by Hybrid
- Vielen Dank für Ihre Hilfe.Many thanks for your help.
- Danke vielmals für das Geschenk!Thanks a lot for the gift!
- 519 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian gives Julia a small gift.
- MaximilianHier, das ist für dich.Here, this is for you.
- JuliaOh, danke, Maximilian!Oh, thanks, Maximilian!
- MaximilianGerne geschehen.You're welcome.
- JuliaEs ist wirklich sehr schön.It is really very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thanks” translations and entries danke, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries danke, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
