🙏😊

How to Say ‘Thanks very much.’ in Japanese

どうも、ありがとうございました。

dou mo arigatou gozai mashi ta

[DOH moh ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee mah-shee tah]

💬 Usage Tip: Use the past form ありがとうございました to thank someone for something that's already finished, such as a completed ride.

Phrase Breakdown

どうも、

dou mo

very much / thanks

Strengthens a thank-you. Stretch the 'o' in 'doo'.

Example

どうも、すみません。

I'm very sorry. / Thanks a lot.

Words in this phrase

どう

dou

[DOH]

very much (part of どうも)

First half of どうも, which intensifies thanks: 'thank you very much'.

Example

どうもすみません。

I'm very sorry.

も

[moh]

very much (part of どうも)

Second half of どうも, used with thanks or apologies.

Example

どうもありがとう。

Thanks a lot.

ありがとうございました。

arigatou gozai mashi ta

thank you (for what you did)

The past form '-mashita' thanks someone for something already done. Say it as 'a-ri-ga-too go-za-i-ma-shi-ta', with a soft 'shi'.

Example

今日はありがとうございました。

Thank you for today.

Words in this phrase

ありがとう

arigatou

[ah-ree-gah-toh]

thank you

A common way to say thank you.

Example

ありがとう、助かります。

Thank you, that helps.

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.

Example

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.

まし

mashi

[mah-shee]

polite past stem

Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.

Example

昨日は多くのことを学びました。

I learned many things yesterday.

た

[tah]

past tense ending

This ending completes the polite past tense form.

Example

空席がございました。

There were vacant seats.

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