How do you say "Thank you." in Japanese?

"Thank you." in Japanese is "ありがとうございます。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

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How to Say ‘Thank you.’ in Japanese

Q: What does "ありがとうございます。" mean in English?

"ありがとうございます。" means "Thank you." in English. Usage tip: [ありがとうございます] is the safe, polite “thank you” for staff. If you just received something, you can also say [ありがとうございました] (past) to sound extra proper.

ありがとうございます。

arigatou gozai masu

[ah-ree-gah-toh goh-ZAI mahss]

💬 Usage Tip: [ありがとうございます] is the safe, polite “thank you” for staff. If you just received something, you can also say [ありがとうございました] (past) to sound extra proper.

🇯🇵 In Japan: Polite thanks is a small “social oil” in Japan—one phrase that instantly smooths any interaction.

Phrase Breakdown

ありがとう

arigatou

[ah-ree-gah-toh]

thank you (base)

Combined with ございます to make a polite “thank you.” Often said to staff after ordering/payment.

Example

ありがとうございます。

Thank you very much.

ございます

gozai masu

(polite expression used in set phrases)

Polite form related to ある (to exist). In ありがとうございます, it makes the thanks formal and polite.

Example

おめでとうございます。

Congratulations.

Words in this phrase

ござい

gozai

[goh-ZAI]

to be (polite/humble); to exist (stem)

Used in fixed polite phrase: ありがとう＋ござい＋ます.

Example

ありがとうございます。

Thank you very much.

ます

masu

[mahss]

(polite verb ending)

Polite ending completing ございます.

Example

ありがとうございます。

Thank you very much.

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