KaiwaGoCommon Ways to Say Thank You in Japanese
6 Japanese phrases for common ways to say thank you, for example たすかります (What a relief, thanks so much).
ありがとう is the everyday “thank you”. Adding ございます makes it polite, and どうも can stand alone as a quick thanks or be put in front for extra emphasis: どうもありがとうございます.
Hands-free listening
Play every phrase in order with its English meaning between the repeats. Keep the page open and listen while you do something else.
| Japanese | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| 本当にやさしいですね。 | You're really kind! | |
| 今日は楽しかったです。ありがとうございます。 | I had a great time today, thank you! | |
| 有難うございます。 | Thank you very much (I'm truly grateful) | |
| いろいろおせわになりました。 iroiroosewaninarimashita. | Thank you for all your help | |
| ～のおかげで、ありがとうございます ~nookagede,arigatougozaimasu | Thanks to you, … — thank you so much | |
| たすかります tasukarimasu | What a relief, thanks so much |
Usage notes
- Use ありがとうございました (past tense) when the favour is finished, for example when leaving a shop.
- いいえ or どういたしまして answers a thank you; in daily life people often just say いえいえ.
- すみません is also used to thank someone who went to some trouble for you.
- Before a meal say いただきます, and after it ごちそうさまでした to thank whoever cooked or paid; both are part of everyday thanks in Japan.
FAQ
How do you say thank you in Japanese?
ありがとう (arigatō) to friends, ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) to anyone else. どうも on its own is a quick, casual thanks.
How do you reply to thank you in Japanese?
どういたしまして (dōitashimashite) means “you’re welcome”, but in daily life a modest いいえ or いえいえ is heard more often.