How do you say "Thank you very much." in Japanese?

"Thank you very much." in Japanese is "ありがとうございました。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

🙏✨

How to Say ‘Thank you very much.’ in Japanese

Q: What does "ありがとうございました。" mean in English?

"ありがとうございました。" means "Thank you very much." in English. Usage tip: [ありがとうございました] is the past form, but in English it's still just "thank you very much." It's a standard closing thanks after service.

ありがとうございました。

arigatou gozai mashi ta

[ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee mah-shee tah]

💬 Usage Tip: [ありがとうございました] is the past form, but in English it's still just "thank you very much." It's a standard closing thanks after service.

🇯🇵 In Japan: This is the classic goodbye-thank-you from store staff as you leave. Hearing it means: mission successful, snack acquired.

Phrase Breakdown

ありがとう

arigatou

[ah-ree-gah-toh]

thank you

The core word for expressing thanks. In shops, it appears in very polite set phrases.

Example

ありがとうと言いました。

I said thank you.

ござい

gozai

[goh-zah-ee]

to be; polite part

Part of the very polite expression ございます, which makes thanks more formal.

Example

ありがとうございましたは丁寧です。

‘Arigatou gozaimashita’ is polite.

まし

mashi

[mah-shee]

polite ending part

Part of the polite past form in ございました / ありがとうございました.

Example

ましはありがとうございましたの一部です。

Mashi is one part of arigatou gozaimashita.

た

[tah]

past tense ending

Marks the phrase as past/polite, as in 'thank you very much' after the interaction is finished.

Example

たはありがとうございましたの最後です。

Ta is the end of arigatou gozaimashita.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered speech recognition to perfect your accent

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Custom Scenarios

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Teaching in Osaka and I wanted to connect with my students beyond the classroom. The everyday conversation scenarios made my Japanese feel natural, not textbook-y.”

Mia S., 25, English Teacher

“Moved to Tokyo and the polite vs. casual speech levels were killing me. This app breaks it all down with real scenarios. My coworkers noticed the difference in weeks.”

Kevin Z., 31, Game Developer

“I tried five different apps before this one. The roleplay conversations are what finally made things click. I actually remember what I learn now.”

Sofia R., 31, Marketing Manager