How to Say ‘Thank you (polite)’ in Japanese
ありがとうございます
arigatou gozai masu
[ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee mahs]
🇯🇵 In Japan: This is the safe default with shop staff, strangers and anyone older or senior to you.
Phrase Breakdown
ありがとう
arigatou
[ah-ree-gah-toh]
thank you (casual base)
The base “thank you.” In formal speech it’s followed by ございます to become polite.
本日はお越しいただきありがとうござい ます。
Thank you for coming today.
ござい
gozai
[goh-zah-ee]
to be; to exist (polite part of expression)
A polite verb stem used in set phrases like greetings to sound respectful.
あいさつでは、ございをていねいに言います。
In greetings, you say gozai politely.
ます
masu
[mahs]
polite verb ending
Polite present/future ending used in verbs like します.
今確認します。
I will check now.
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