Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 고맙습니다 | gomapseumnida | [ko̞ma̠ps͈ɯmnida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 감사합니다 | gamsahamnida | [ˈka̠(ː)msʰa̠ɦa̠mnida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
While 고맙습니다 and 감사합니다 are standard, you can add emphasis for more sincere or intense feelings. For example, 정말로 감사합니다 means 'Thank you very much' or 'I'm sincerely grateful' and 대단히 감사드립니다 is used to express a higher level of gratitude, making it suitable for more formal situations or when expressing gratitude to someone of higher social status.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression 감사합니다 is built from the noun 감사 (gratitude/thanks) and the verb 하다 (to do).
Which one should you use?
감사합니다 is more formal and polite than 고맙습니다. In contrast, 고마워 is the informal version used with friends or people younger than you.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 고마워요 is a polite form created by adding the suffix –요 to the informal 고마워, making it suitable for everyday social situations. The term 반말 refers to informal language in Korean.
How do you pronounce it?
gomapseumnida
When do people say it?
When someone says thank you, a common natural response is 아니에요, which literally means 'it is not'.
Did you know?
- While 감사합니다 is used for gratitude, the same word 감사 is also used to describe a formal 'audit' or 'inspection' of accounts in a business context.
- In very close relationships, Koreans may avoid saying 'thank you' too often, as it can create a formal distance that suggests the other person is a stranger.
- In very casual settings among close friends, you might skip the 'thank you' entirely and instead use a phrase like 잘 먹었어 (I ate well) if the gratitude is for a meal. In Korea, acknowledging the specific act of providing food is a high form of thanks.
Examples in context
- 고맙습니다.Thank you.This sentence shows a simple way to say thank you using 고맙습니다.Tatoeba #9466297 by jujungsik, translation #1876041 by Asma
- 진심으로 감사합니다.I thank you from the bottom of my heart.This sentence demonstrates how to express sincere gratitude using 감사합니다.Tatoeba #11105117 by intertime, translation #268952 by CK
- 감사합니다!Thank you!This sentence is a standard way to say thank you using 감사합니다.Tatoeba #1531876 by cc_neko, translation #374827 by sysko
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dohyeon gives Minji a cup of coffee.
- 도현 Do-hyeon민지 씨, 커피 좀 가져왔어요.Minji ssi, keopi jom gajyeowasseoyo.Minji, I brought you some coffee.
- 민지 Min-ji와, 정말 고맙습니다, 도현 씨.Wa, jeongmal gomapseumnida, Dohyeon ssi.Wow, thank you so much, Dohyeon.
- 도현 Do-hyeon별거 아니에요. 맛있게 드세요.Byeolgeo anieyo. masitge deuseyo.It's nothing. Enjoy it.
- 민지 Min-ji잘 마실게요.Jal masilgeyo.I will enjoy it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries 고맙습니다, 감사합니다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
