Japanese dictionary
How to say "Thank you" in Japanese
ありがとうございますありがとうございます · arigatō gozaimasu
"Thank you" in Japanese is ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu). With friends, ありがとう is enough.
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Ways to say "Thank you" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| ありがとうございますありがとうございます · arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you (polite). |
| ありがとうありがとう · arigatō | Thanks (casual). |
| どうもどうも · dōmo | Thanks (short, casual). |
| すみませんすみません · sumimasen | Thank you (for trouble someone took). |
How to use it
For something already done, the past form ありがとうございました is common.
When someone goes to trouble for you, Japanese people often say すみません, which works as both "sorry" and "thank you."
Example sentences
- ありがとうございます。Arigatō gozaimasu.Thank you.
- 昨日はありがとうございました。Kinō wa arigatō gozaimashita.Thank you for yesterday.
- どうもありがとう。Dōmo arigatō.Thanks a lot.
- わざわざすみません。Wazawaza sumimasen.Thank you for going to the trouble.
- いつもありがとうございます。Itsumo arigatō gozaimasu.Thank you as always.
- お心遣いありがとうございます。O-kokorozukai arigatō gozaimasu.Thank you for your kindness.
Questions
When do you use ありがとうございました (past)?
Use the past form to thank someone for something that has finished, like at the end of a meeting or after shopping.
Why do Japanese people say すみません to say thanks?
すみません expresses that someone went to trouble for you, so it works as a humble thank-you.
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.