How to Say ‘Thanks’ in Japanese
ありがとう
arigatou
[ah-ree-gah-toh]
💬 Usage Tip: [ありがとう] is casual “thanks,” good with friends or staff you’ve already been chatting with. For strangers giving directions, [ありがとうございます] is safer.
🇯🇵 In Japan: After someone helps you find the metro, a quick [ありがとう] plus a small bow is friendly. Japanese people often add an extra [どうも] for warmth: [どうも、ありがとう].
Phrase Breakdown
ありがとう
arigatou
[ah-ree-gah-toh]
thanks; thank you (casual)
A casual way to say “thank you.” In direction situations, you can say this to a friend or someone your age in a relaxed setting.
地下鉄の駅まで教えてくれて、ありがとう。
Thanks for telling me how to get to the subway station.
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