How to Say ‘Thank you’ in Japanese
ありがとうございます
arigatou gozai masu
[ah-ree-gah-toh go-zai mahs]
🇯🇵 In Japan: This is a standard polite thank-you for customers, staff, or people you don't know well. With friends, a plain [ありがとう] is more natural.
Phrase Breakdown
ありがとう
arigatou
[ah-ree-gah-toh]
thank you
A common expression of thanks. It becomes more polite when followed by ございます.
ご予約ありがとうございます。
Thank you for your reservation.
ございます
gozai masu
be; polite auxiliary
Adds politeness to ありがとう, making the expression more formal and polite.
おはようございます。
Good morning.
Words in this phrase
ござい
gozai
[go-zai]
to be; to exist (very polite)
This polite element makes ありがとう more formal in customer service language.
本日はありがとうございますござい ます。
Thank you very much for today.
ます
masu
[mahs]
polite verb ending
A polite ending that completes formal expressions like ありがとうございます.
お問い合わせありがとうござい ます。
Thank you for your inquiry.
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