How to Say ‘Thank you.’ in Japanese
ありがとうございます。
arigatou gozai masu
[ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zye mass]
💬 Usage Tip: Polite standard thank-you. Nice phone upgrade: [ありがとうございます。よろしくお願いします。] to close smoothly.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Phone etiquette in Japan leans formal; even simple thanks helps the conversation end cleanly.
Phrase Breakdown
ありがとう
arigatou
[ah-ree-gah-toh]
thank you (base)
Part of the polite expression ありがとうございます. Used toward teachers/school staff.
ご対応ありがとうございます。
Thank you for your assistance/handling it.
ござい
gozai
[goh-zye]
(part of) gozaimasu (polite)
Stem of ございます; adds politeness to fixed expressions.
ありがとうございます。
Thank you very much.
ます
masu
[mass]
polite ending (completes gozaimasu)
Completes the polite phrase. Frequently used in formal conversations and phone calls.
ありがとうございます。
Thank you.
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