Saying “thank you” is one of the simplest ways to express gratitude, respect, and appreciation. Although languages are different around the world, showing gratitude is something almost every culture shares.
Learning how to say thank you in other languages can be useful when traveling, meeting people from different countries, learning a new language, or simply wanting to show appreciation in someone’s native language.
From “Gracias” in Spanish and “Merci” in French to “Arigatou” in Japanese, there are many beautiful ways to express gratitude around the world.
In this post, you can find 50 ways to say thank you in other languages, along with their languages and simple meanings.
Thank You In Other Languages
- Spanish: Gracias – Thank you
- French: Merci – Thank you
- German: Danke – Thank you
- Italian: Grazie – Thank you
- Portuguese: Obrigado/Obrigada – Thank you
- Dutch: Dank je – Thank you
- Japanese: Arigatou (ありがとう) – Thank you
- Korean: Gamsahamnida (감사합니다) – Thank you
- Chinese (Mandarin): Xièxiè (谢谢) – Thank you
- Hindi: Dhanyavaad (धन्यवाद) – Thank you
- Arabic: Shukran (شكراً) – Thank you
- Russian: Spasibo (Спасибо) – Thank you
- Greek: Efcharistó (Ευχαριστώ) – Thank you
- Turkish: Teşekkür ederim – Thank you
- Swedish: Tack – Thank you
- Norwegian: Takk – Thank you
- Danish: Tak – Thank you
- Finnish: Kiitos – Thank you
- Polish: Dziękuję – Thank you
- Czech: Děkuji – Thank you
- Hungarian: Köszönöm – Thank you
- Romanian: Mulțumesc – Thank you
- Bulgarian: Blagodarya (Благодаря) – Thank you
- Croatian: Hvala – Thank you
- Serbian: Hvala (Хвала) – Thank you
- Slovenian: Hvala – Thank you
- Slovak: Ďakujem – Thank you
- Ukrainian: Diakuiu (Дякую) – Thank you
- Lithuanian: Ačiū – Thank you
- Latvian: Paldies – Thank you
- Estonian: Aitäh – Thank you
- Icelandic: Takk – Thank you
- Irish: Go raibh maith agat – Thank you
- Welsh: Diolch – Thank you
- Scottish Gaelic: Tapadh leat – Thank you
- Hebrew: Toda (תודה) – Thank you
- Persian: Mamnoon (ممنون) – Thank you
- Urdu: Shukriya (شکریہ) – Thank you
- Bengali: Dhonnobad (ধন্যবাদ) – Thank you
- Punjabi: Dhanvaad (ਧੰਨਵਾਦ) – Thank you
- Gujarati: Aabhar (આભાર) – Thank you
- Marathi: Dhanyavaad (धन्यवाद) – Thank you
- Tamil: Nandri (நன்றி) – Thank you
- Telugu: Dhanyavadalu (ధన్యవాదాలు) – Thank you
- Malayalam: Nandi (നന്ദി) – Thank you
- Thai: Khop khun (ขอบคุณ) – Thank you
- Vietnamese: Cảm ơn – Thank you
- Indonesian: Terima kasih – Thank you
- Malay: Terima kasih – Thank you
- Swahili: Asante – Thank you
Popular Ways To Say Thank You Around The World
Some foreign words for thank you have become widely recognized even among people who do not speak the language.
Gracias is the standard Spanish word for thank you, while Merci is commonly used in French. German speakers frequently use Danke, while Italians say Grazie.
In Japan, Arigatou is commonly used informally, while Arigatou gozaimasu is a more polite expression. Similarly, Korean has different levels of politeness, with Gamsahamnida being a respectful and commonly used way to say thank you.
How To Say Thank You In European Languages
Europe has hundreds of languages and regional varieties, so there are many ways to express gratitude.
You can say Merci in French, Danke in German, Grazie in Italian, Gracias in Spanish, and Obrigado or Obrigada in Portuguese.
Northern European languages also have some short expressions. Swedish uses Tack, Danish uses Tak, Norwegian uses Takk, and Finnish uses Kiitos.
Learning these simple words can make everyday interactions much easier when traveling through Europe.
How To Say Thank You In Asian Languages
Asia is home to thousands of languages and dialects, offering many different ways to say thank you.
In Mandarin Chinese, Xièxiè (谢谢) is one of the most common expressions. Japanese speakers can say Arigatou (ありがとう), while Korean speakers commonly use Gamsahamnida (감사합니다) in polite situations.
In South Asia, Dhanyavaad (धन्यवाद) is used in Hindi, Shukriya (شکریہ) in Urdu, Dhonnobad (ধন্যবাদ) in Bengali, and Nandri (நன்றி) in Tamil.
Formal And Informal Ways To Say Thank You
Many languages change their expressions depending on who you are speaking to.
For example, Dutch speakers may use Dank je informally and Dank u in formal situations. Japanese speakers often use Arigatou casually, while Arigatou gozaimasu is more respectful.
When speaking with elderly people, customers, teachers, professionals, or strangers, learning the polite form is usually the safest option.
When To Say Thank You In Another Language
Using another person’s language to express gratitude can make a simple interaction more personal.
While Traveling
Learning the local word for thank you can help you communicate politely in restaurants, hotels, shops, airports, and other places.
With International Friends
Saying thank you in a friend’s native language can make your appreciation feel more personal.
At Work
If you work with international colleagues or clients, knowing a few basic expressions can help create friendly communication.
While Learning A Language
Thank you is one of the first expressions worth learning because you can use it frequently in everyday conversations.
For Social Media
Using thank you in different languages can also make captions, posts, cards, and creative designs more interesting.
Learning how to say thank you in other languages is a simple way to connect with people and show respect for different cultures.
Whether you say Gracias, Merci, Danke, Grazie, Shukran, Arigatou, Dhanyavaad, Dhonnobad, or Asante, the purpose remains the same: expressing genuine gratitude.
Even if you only learn one or two words before visiting another country, saying thank you in the local language can make everyday interactions warmer and more meaningful.