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-zah-ee mahss]
💬 Usage Tip: [ありがとうございます] is a polite "thank you." It is safer and more versatile than casual [ありがとう].
🇯🇵 In Japan: Customers and staff both use this often. Japanese service talk is full of thanks, even for small things.
Phrase Breakdown
ありがとう
arigatou
[ah-ree-gah-toh]
thank you
The core word for expressing thanks in a polite conversation.
ご注文をいただき、ありがとうと言いたくなります。
After receiving an order, you feel like saying thank you.
ござい
gozai
[goh-zah-ee]
honorable/polite part of expression
Part of the fixed polite phrase ありがとうございます, making the thanks more formal.
ありがとうございますのございは丁寧な言い方です。
The gozai in arigatou gozaimasu is a polite way of speaking.
ます
masu
[mahss]
polite verb ending
A polite ending often used in formal speech.
ありがとうございますのますで丁寧になります。
The masu in arigatou gozaimasu makes it polite.
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