17 Phrases to Express Gratitude in Japanese

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Learn how to say thanks in formal and casual situations
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In Japanese culture, saying “Thank you” is a very important part of everyday conversations. If you’re studying Japanese or planning on traveling to Japan sometime soon, knowing how to express your gratitude is a must. We’ve prepared a list of all the possible ways you can say “Thank you” along with explanations for when to use each greeting. Mastering these phrases will help you along your language-learning journey and give you even more insight into Japanese culture.

Things You Should Know

  • Say arigatou gozaoimasu or domo arigatou gozaimasu in formal situations, such as at work or school, and when talking to people you don’t know.
  • Use arigatou or domo to say thanks casually to close friends and family members.
  • Say otsukare sama desu to your colleagues at work to thank them for their hard work.
1

Arigatou gozaimasu

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    You typically use this phrase in formal situations or with people you don’t know. Say this to people who have a higher status than you, such as your boss, teacher, or anyone who appears to be older than you. Or, use this phrase to express heartfelt gratitude to someone close to you. [1]
    • Pronunciation: ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee-mahs
    • Written in Japanese: ありがとうございます
    • When someone thanks you, reply with dou itashi mashite (doh ee-tah-shee mah-she-teh, どういたしまして) to say “You’re welcome” in both formal and casual situations.
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2

Domo arigatou gozaimasu

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    This phrase adds an extra level of politeness to just your standard “Thank you.” Say this when you’re in a formal setting, such as in your office, at school, or interacting with people who are older or in a higher position than you. Or, use this phrase to express sincere thanks to someone you’re close with.
    • Pronunciation: doh-moh ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee-mahs
    • Written in Japanese: どうも ありがとう ございます
3

Arigatou gozaimashita

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    You use this phrase when you’re thanking someone for something that happened in the past or is already completed. For example, if you just got a massage, you would say arigatou gozaimashita to the masseuse for the service they provided. It has the same meaning as arigatou gozaimasu , but is just in the past tense. [2]
    • Pronunciation: ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee-mah-shee-tah
    • Written in Japanese: ありがとう ございました
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4

Hontoni arigatou gozaimasu

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    Use this phrase when you want to express sincere gratitude to someone in a very polite way. This is like saying, “I am truly grateful.” People don’t use this expression that often, but if you think the situation calls for a deeper expression of gratitude, go ahead and use it. It’s common to also pair saying hontoni arigatou gozaimasu with a bow. [3]
    • Pronunciation: hohn-toh-nee ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee-mahs
    • Written in Japanese: 本当に ありがとう ございます
5

Haisha moushiagemasu

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    When you say this phrase, it’s usually when you’re thanking someone who is older than you or someone who has a higher rank than you, such as your boss. This phrase sounds very humble and is a way to intentionally place yourself lower than the person you’re talking to. This is good for formal situations. [4]
    • Pronunciation: ha-ee-shah moh-shee-ah-geh-mas
    • Written in Japanese: 拝謝申し上げます
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6

Sumimasen

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    Many Japanese phrases of gratitude also include an apology as a way to thank someone for putting their time and effort into something. Use suminasen in formal situations, such as when you’re at work or doing business with someone. When you use this phrase, you’re essentially saying, “Thank you for doing this despite the inconveniences it may have caused.” [5]
    • Pronunciation: soo-mee-mah-sehn
    • Written in Japanese: すみません
7

Osoreirimasu

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    This phrase is often used in business settings and is usually someone’s way of thanking another person for a favor or service they provided. This is a stronger version of suminasen and is usually translated as, “I’m deeply sorry.” Even though it sounds apologetic, people use it to express feelings of deep gratitude. [6]
    • Pronunciation: oh-soh-rey-ree-mahs
    • Written in Japanese: 恐れ入ります
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8

Arigatou

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    Use this phrase when you’re with close friends who are the same age as you, your family, or small children. Avoid using this phrase when talking with strangers or acquaintances who are older than you or when you’re in formal settings, such as your place of work or school. [7]
    • Pronunciation: ah-ree-gah-toh
    • Written in Japanese: ありがとう
    • When someone says arigatou to you, reply with iie (ee-yeh, いいえ) to say, “No problem.” Iie literally translates as “No.”
9

Domo arigatou

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    Only use this expression when you’re with close friends who are your age or family members. Avoid using this phrase in formal situations or with strangers. If you don’t know the other person or they’re older than you, use domo arigatou gozaimasu instead.
    • Pronunciation: doh-moh ah-ree-gah-toh
    • Written in Japanese: どうも ありがとう
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10

Domo

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    Domo is actually an adverb that’s often used to emphasize other phrases, such as in domo arigatou to mean “Thank you very much,” or domo suminasen which means “I’m very sorry.” On its own, domo can mean “Thanks,” “Hi/Hey,” or “Sorry” depending on the context. Only use this expression with people you’re close with. [8]
    • Pronunciation: doh-moh
    • Written in Japanese: どうも
11

Sankyu

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    This is another casual way to say “Thank you” to your close friends. Since it’s a word borrowed from English, be sure to only use this in informal situations and avoid saying this to your boss, teacher, or people you don’t know that well. [9]
    • Pronunciation: san-kyu
    • Written in Japanese: サンキュー
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12

Azasu

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    Azasu is a super shortened form of arigatou gozaimasu . Like most slang expressions, only say this when you’re with your friends or family members and be sure to avoid using it in formal settings. [10]
    • Pronunciation: ah-zahs
    • Written in Japanese: あざす
13

Ookini

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    This phrase isn’t a standard Japanese phrase. Instead, this form of saying “Thank you” is only found in or near Osaka. Saying ookini is like saying arigatou , so only use it in informal situations with close friends or family. [11]
    • Pronunciation: oh-kee-nee
    • Written in Japanese: おおきに
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14

Otsukare sama desu

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    This is a common phrase people use at work as a greeting to colleagues. It’s a phrase that basically means, “Thank you for your hard work.” If someone did a good job on a presentation or they’ve just had a long day, be sure to thank them for all of the efforts they put in by using this phrase. [12]
    • Pronunciation: oht-soo-kah-reh sah-mah dehs
    • Written in Japanese: お疲れ様です
    • Or, say otsukare sama deshita (oh-tsoo-kah-reh sah-mah de-shee-ta, お疲れ様でした) at the end of the day. This phrase has the same meaning as otsukare sama desu , but it’s in the past tense.
15

Kansha shimasu

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    This is a way to express your gratitude other than explicitly saying “Thank you.” Kansha means “gratitude,” and shimasu turns it into the verb “to be grateful.” You’re more likely to use this expression in writing rather than speaking, like when you’re writing an email. A casual way to say this would be kansha suru (kahn-sha soo-roo, 感謝する). [13]
    • Pronunciation: khan-sha shee-mahs
    • Written in Japanese: 感謝します
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16

Itadakimasu

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    When someone cooks you a delicious meal, be sure to say this phrase before you start eating to thank them for their hard work and for the food they’ve given you. This expression literally means, “I hungrily accept.” [14]
    • Pronunciation: ee-tah-dah-kee-mahs
    • Written in Japanese: 頂きます
17

Gochisou sama deshita

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    If a host serves you dinner or if someone treats you to a meal, use this phrase when you’ve finished eating to express gratitude. A more casual way to say this between close friends and family is gochisou sama (go-chee-soh sah-mah, ごちそうさ). [15]
    • Pronunciation: go-chee-soh sah-mah de-shee-ta
    • Written in Japanese: ごちそうさまでした
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/qkKF-5nWmTU?t=49
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/qkKF-5nWmTU?t=94
      3. ↑ https://blog.itranslate.com/how-to-say/thank-you-in-japanese/
      4. ↑ https://blog.itranslate.com/how-to-say/thank-you-in-japanese/
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/qkKF-5nWmTU?t=227
      6. ↑ https://90dayjapanese.com/thank-you-in-japanese/
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/qkKF-5nWmTU?t=28
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/cgvXG1AyxrE?t=20
      9. ↑ https://japanesetactics.com/how-to-say-thank-you-in-japanese
      1. ↑ https://blog.itranslate.com/how-to-say/thank-you-in-japanese/
      2. ↑ https://static.aminer.org/pdf/PDF/000/330/894/sumiwake_structure_in_a_finite_and_heterogeneous_ecosystem.pdf
      3. ↑ https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=pdxopen
      4. ↑ https://japanesetactics.com/how-to-say-thank-you-in-japanese
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/qkKF-5nWmTU?t=309
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/qkKF-5nWmTU?t=335

      About This Article

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      To say “thank you” in Japanese, use “Domo arigatou” if you’re with friends or co-workers. You can also shorten the expression to “Arigatou” with family and friends. If you’re speaking to a supervisor, teacher, family elder, or someone who has a higher status than you, use the formal phrase, “Arigatou gozaimasu.” Alternatively, use “Domo arigatou gozaimasu” to express gratitude in the most polite and formal way possible. To learn more, including how to say “You’re welcome” in Japanese, scroll down.

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