🙏❤️

How to Say ‘Thank you so much.’ in Japanese

本当にありがとうございました。

hontou ni arigatou gozai mashi ta

[hon-TOH nee ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee mah-shee tah]

💬 Usage Tip: The past form ございました thanks someone for something already finished; use ございます for ongoing or upcoming help.

Phrase Breakdown

本当に

hontou ni

really, truly

本当に (hontou ni) strengthens the thanks. Hold the long 'o' in 'tou'.

Example

本当においしいです。

It's really delicious.

Words in this phrase

本当

hontou

[hon-TOH]

really

Truly or genuinely.

Example

本当にありがとう。

Thank you very much.

に

[nee]

(adverb ending: -ly)

Turns a noun like 本当 into an adverb, 'truly; really'.

Example

本当においしいです。

It's really delicious.

ありがとうございました。

arigatou gozai mashi ta

thank you (for what you did)

This is the polite past form of 'thank you', used after someone has helped you. Say it smoothly: 'arigatou gozaimashita'.

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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