No matter the situation, if you’re feeling grateful for something then it’s always worth taking the time to say ‘thank you’. And learning how to say thank you in different languages is a great skill to have at the ready too, whether you’re travelling abroad or just looking to impress a certain someone.
Now we might not cover every single language possible in this blog, but we have included everything from saying thank you in Spanish and Norwegian to saying thank you in sign language!
But before we explore how to say thank you in multiple languages, here’s a sneak peek at our fantastic range of thank you cards. Pick your favourite, jot your message inside, and we’ll send it on its way:
Ways to say thank you in different languages across Europe
Ready to get going? Let’s start with those countries closest to us Brits that might be our favourite vacation spots! Here’s how to say thank you in multiple languages and countries across Europe:
- Spanish – Gracias
- German – Danke
- French – Merci
- Italian – Grazie
- Portuguese – Obrigado for males/Obrigada for females
- Greek – Ευχαριστώ [efcharistó]
- Norwegian – Takk skal du ha
- Polish – Dzięki
- Romanian – Mulţumesc
- Hungarian – Köszönöm
- Welsh – Diolch
- Russian – Спасибо [spasiba]
Top tip: To make sure they don’t immediately escape your mind, we recommend practising by writing them down a few times as well as saying them out loud so that you can perfect the pronunciation.
How to say thank you in different languages across Asia
Taking it even further around the world, these are just some ways of saying thank you from Asian countries as well as other things you might want to note:
Japanese – ありがとう[arigatou] / ありがとう ございます [arigatou gozaimasu]
ありがとう aka arigatou is the most well-known way of saying thanks, but it is fairly casual which is why some people may prefer to use ありがとう ございます [arigatou gozaimasu]. Typically, if it takes you longer to say something in Japanese then it’s probably politer.
Chinese (Mandarin) – 谢谢 [xièxie]
The most common way to say thank you in Chinese is 谢谢 [xièxie], with the pronunciation sounding a bit like ‘syeh-syeh’’. An important part of the Chinese language and its pronunciation relies on tone and there is a difference between the two syllables with the emphasis being on the first.
Korean – 고마워 [gomawo] / 감사합니다 [gamsahamnida]
The standard way of saying thank you in Korean tends to be 고마워 [gomawo] although this is quite informal and used with people that are a similar age to you or are particularly close with. On the other hand, 감사합니다 [gamsahamnida] is a bit more common as expressing politeness to those older or strangers is important in Korean.
Thai – ขอบคุณ [khawp khun]
The most basic way of saying thank you in Thai is ขอบคุณ [khawp khun]. However, for a politer form, you can add gender-based particles at the end of the phrase – ค่ะ [kha] for females and ครับ [khrap] for males.
Filipino – Salamat / Salamat po / Maraming salamat po
To say thank you in Filipino is salamat although you may want to use salamat po when speaking to someone older as po is added to make phrases more formal. Alternatively, you could even say maraming salamat po for when you’re feeling extremely grateful, with the informal version being maraming salamat.
Arabic – شكرًا [shukran]
Both the literal and casual translation of thank you in Arabic, شكرًا [shukran]can be used in all sorts of situations from eating in restaurants to when you’re out shopping. However, for a more formal version of thank you, you can say شكرا جزيلا. [shukran jaziilan] which is better suited for thank you notes or professional and other similar situations.
Malay – Terima Kasih
Luckily, if you ever find yourself needing to show your gratitude when in Malaysia or to a Malaysian this is pretty straightforward, and you can do so by saying terima kasih.
How to say thank you in sign language
Luckily, saying thank you is one of the phrases that work the same way in both British Sign Language (BSL) and American Sign Language (ASL). Anyway, this is how to say thank you in sign language:
- Start with a flat hand and your fingertips against your chin, palm facing your neck.
- Move your hands down and away from your face, keeping your palm facing yourself.
Quick tip: The action can be seen as quite similar to blowing a kiss except for the palm of your hand facing yourself and you’re touching your chin instead of your lips.
And there you have it, a guide on how to say thank you in many languages! From saying thank you in Japanese to Thai, Malay, and more, hopefully you’re now feeling clued up on how to express gratitude no matter where you are in the world.
Looking for more fun insights like this? Head over to the thortful blog where you can find special occasion articles, gift guides, and more! You can also explore similar articles, including:
