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 mahs]
💬 Usage Tip: [ありがとうございます] is a polite thank-you. It is more formal than [ありがとう].
🇯🇵 In Japan: In restaurants, both customers and staff use [ありがとうございます] often. Politeness goes both ways in Japan.
Phrase Breakdown
ありがとう
arigatou
[ah-ree-gah-toh]
thanks
The core word meaning thanks or gratitude in a polite expression.
料理を運んでくれて、ありがとうと言いました。
They brought the food, and I said, “Thanks.”
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, adding politeness.
ていねいに言うときは、ございを入れた形を使います。
When speaking politely, you use the form that includes gozai.
ます
masu
[mahs]
polite verb ending
A standard polite ending used in many Japanese sentences.
店員はありがとうございますと言うときにますの形を使います。
Staff use the polite masu form when saying thank you.
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