Merci
/mɛʁ.si/
The English phrase "thanks" is translated into French as Merci.
Merci is used to express appreciation or gratitude. If you wish to be more polite, you can say Je vous remercie, which translates to "I thank you". You can use Je vous suis reconnaissant(e), meaning "I am grateful to you". In informal situations where you want to convey heartfelt thanks, you can say Merci mille fois, which literally means "thank you a thousand times".
Meaning: used to express appreciation or gratitude (intj)
Which one should you use?
Unlike in English, where "thanks" can feel more casual than "thank you", the French word Merci is versatile and can be used in both casual and formal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "thank you very much", add beaucoup after the word to get Merci beaucoup. When expressing thanks for an action, merci pour is common in spoken language, but merci de is often used before an infinitive verb.
When do people say it?
The most common standard response to Merci is De rien.
Did you know?
- The word merci originally had nothing to do with gratitude, as it comes from the Latin mercēdem, meaning 'wages' or 'price'.
- In English, the word 'mercy' is a close relative of merci because both stem from the same Latin root for a reward or payment.
- Historically, merci was part of a plea for 'mercy' or pardon from a victor in battle, as in 'asking for mercy'.
Examples in context
- Merci pour ça !Thanks for that.This sentence is useful for saying thanks for a specific thing using Merci.Tatoeba #3951968 by nimfeo, translation #1898228 by CK
- Merci, les mecs !Thanks, guys!This sentence shows how to say thanks to a group of guys using Merci.Tatoeba #5050013 by sacredceltic, translation #2564658 by Hybrid
- Merci, mon pote !Thanks, bud!This sentence shows how to say thanks to a friend or bud using Merci.Tatoeba #8984264 by Micsmithel, translation #2730962 by Hybrid
- Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.Thank you very much for your help.
- Je vous remercie sincèrement pour votre soutien.I sincerely thank you for your support.
- Je vous suis très reconnaissant(e) pour cette opportunité.I am very grateful to you for this opportunity.
- Merci beaucoup pour ton cadeau.Thank you very much for your gift.
- Merci mille fois d'avoir été là pour moi.Thank you a thousand times for being there for me.
- Merci bien de m'avoir rendu service.Thank you for helping me out.
- 449 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma is thanking Gabriel for holding the door open.
- EmmaMerci, Gabriel.Thanks, Gabriel.
- GabrielDe rien, Emma.You're welcome, Emma.
- EmmaC'est très gentil.That is very kind.
- GabrielJe t'en prie.Don't mention it.
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry merci.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries merci, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
