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 polite, go-to way to say thanks in shops. Great phrase to keep ready.

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 the polite, go-to way to say thanks in shops. Great phrase to keep ready.

🇯🇵 In Japan: Even a simple [ありがとうございます] at the register is appreciated and sounds very natural in Japan.

Phrase Breakdown

ありがとう

arigatou

[ah-ree-gah-toh]

thank you

The base expression of thanks, made more polite with gozaimasu.

Example

店員さんにありがとうございますと言います。

I say thank you very much to the store clerk.

ございます

gozai masu

very polite auxiliary used with thanks

Adds politeness and formality to make the expression very respectful.

Example

ありがとうございます。

Thank you very much.

Words in this phrase

ござい

gozai

[goh-zah-ee]

to be; polite part of a formal expression

Used in fixed polite expressions to make them more formal.

Example

ありがとうございますのございは丁寧です。

The 'gozai' in arigatou gozaimasu is polite.

ます

masu

[mahss]

polite ending

The polite ending that completes the formal thank-you phrase.

Example

ありがとうございますのますを聞きます。

You hear the 'masu' in arigatou gozaimasu.

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