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: Polite standard “thank you.” You can soften more with [ありがとうございます、助かります。] (“Thank you, that helps a lot.”).

ありがとうございます。

arigatou gozai masu

[ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee mah-s]

💬 Usage Tip: Polite standard “thank you.” You can soften more with [ありがとうございます、助かります。] (“Thank you, that helps a lot.”).

🇯🇵 In Japan: A quick [ありがとうございます] after they arrange a repair goes a long way—politeness is part of smooth service interactions.

Phrase Breakdown

ありがとう

arigatou

[ah-ree-gah-toh]

Thank you (polite)

Polite “thank you.” Appropriate for speaking to your landlord, building manager, or a plumber.

Example

すぐに業者を呼んでいただいて、ありがとうございます。

Thank you for calling a contractor right away.

ござい

gozai

[goh-zah-ee]

(part of) “gozaimasu” (polite expression)

ござい is part of ございます, which makes the expression more polite/formal. It’s not usually used alone.

Example

ご対応いただき、ありがとうございます。

Thank you for your help/response.

ます

masu

[mah-s]

(polite verb ending) “(I) do/are/will”

Polite ending used in formal speech (です/ます style). In ありがとうございます, it makes the whole phrase polite.

Example

いつ来られるか教えていただけると助かります。

It would help if you could tell me when you can come.

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