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Japan is a country not only fixated on proper manners and etiquette, but also on gift-giving and various parties or events. In this kind of culture, it\u2019s important to learn how to thank people when they invite you out, offer you a present, or even show you the way to the station. In this article, we\u2019ll break down just how<\/em> politely you should say thank you to your friends as opposed to your boss. We\u2019ll also explore the many ways of saying thank you<\/em> in Japanese.<\/p>\n There are four basic categories of honorific speech in Japanese: casual, teineigo, sonkeigo, <\/em>and kenjougo<\/em>. Depending on how well you know the person to whom you are speaking and what sort of relationship you have, one or more of categories might be inappropriate\u2014even if you\u2019re just saying, \u201cthank you.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to understand the basic rules for honorific Japanese so you don\u2019t have an awkward conversation. Here\u2019s a quick run-through of the rules for each level of honorific Japanese, as well as the situations in which to use them.<\/p>\n The rules of honorific Japanese are based on two things: seniority\/experience and the concept of \u5185\u5916 (\u3046\u3061\u305d\u3068\u3001uchi soto<\/em>), or inside\/outside<\/em>. Typically, if the person you\u2019re speaking to is your age or younger, you can speak to them in casual Japanese. The same goes for people who are uchi<\/em>, or within your personal social circle.<\/p>\n Casual Japanese involves any slang words, replacing -\u3067\u3059 (-desu<\/em>) with -\u3060 (-da<\/em>), and if you identify as male, feeling free to refer to yourself as \u4ffa (\u304a\u308c\u3001ore<\/em>). It is inadvisable to use casual Japanese with a person who is clearly older or more experienced than yourself, especially if you\u2019ve just met them.<\/p>\n Teineigo<\/em> is the basic polite form of Japanese that you would find in a textbook. It\u2019s a good go-to form if you\u2019re unsure of what honorific level to use. Teineigo<\/em> can be used at work, with a stranger or new acquaintance of any age, and even with people inside your immediate social circle.<\/p>\n Basic teineigo<\/em> involves adding the suffixes -\u3067\u3059\/-\u307e\u3059 (-desu\/-masu<\/em>) to the ends of sentences or verbs and referring to yourself only as \u79c1 (\u308f\u305f\u3057\u3001watashi<\/em>). The only point at which teineigo<\/em> might be inappropriate to use is when you\u2019re speaking to someone who has a close relationship with you. It might be seen as too<\/em> polite, or even stiff and unfriendly.<\/p>\n Sonkeigo<\/em> exists to honor the person to whom you\u2019re speaking. It\u2019s a polite form used most often in business or formal situations. You would only use it when speaking to someone at a higher rank or social status than yourself. For example, your company president or even your boss might expect you to speak to them in sonkeigo<\/em>. For the most part, sonkeigo<\/em> has no cut and dry formula or grammatical rule. It introduces different polite forms of casual or teineigo<\/em> Japanese words.<\/p>\n A basic example is the teineigo<\/em> form \u98df\u3079\u307e\u3059 (\u305f\u3079\u307e\u3059\u3001tabemasu<\/em>), or to eat<\/em>, and its sonkeigo<\/em> counterpart \u53ec\u3057\u4e0a\u304c\u308b (\u3081\u3057\u3042\u304c\u308b\u3001meshi agaru<\/em>). In addition to using these particular words or phrases for the sonkeigo<\/em> form, it\u2019s also common practice to add prefixes \u304a-\/\u3054- (o-\/go-<\/em>) depending on the situation.<\/p>\n The humble form kenjougo<\/em> is not necessarily more<\/em> polite than sonkeigo<\/em>. It just serves a different purpose. While sonkeigo<\/em> exists to honor the person you are speaking to, kenjougo<\/em> would be used to humble<\/em> yourself as the speaker. This is an important distinction because certain phrases we\u2019re about to look at are specific to kenjougo<\/em>.<\/p>\n They are humbling, and therefore are not appropriate to use if the other person is the subject of the sentence. Like sonkeigo, <\/em>the Japanese humble form has its own version of polite Japanese words. It\u2019s used most often in the customer service industry, where servers or staff humble themselves in conversations with guests.<\/p>\n Now that we\u2019ve covered the basics of Japanese formality, let\u2019s look at the different ways we can say thank you<\/em> in Japanese! These words will be listed in order from the most formal to the least. Try to remember what you just learned about teineigo, sonkeigo,<\/em> and kenjougo<\/em>.<\/p>\n The phrase \u6050\u7e2e\u3067\u3059 is incredibly formal. It simultaneously humbles the speaker and honors the addressee. You might use this phrase to say\u00a0thank you<\/em> in Japanese when a superior or elder has done something kind.<\/p>\n Literally translated, this phrase means, \u201cI don\u2019t even have words to express my thanks.\u201d Although technically teineigo<\/em>, \u611f\u8b1d\u306e\u8a00\u8449\u3082\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093 is such a heartfelt and extreme expression of thanks that it is appropriate in even more formal situations.<\/p>\n \u304a\u793c\u7533\u3057\u4e0a\u3052\u307e\u3059 is a specifically kenjougo<\/em> level of thanks. Remember that you can only use it when referring to yourself! The word \u304a\u793c is \u201cthanks\u201d in English. This phrase means, \u201cI offer my thanks.\u201d You can use it to express humble and sincere thanks for a gift or a favor.<\/p>\n \u4e01\u5be7 is actually included in the sentence, so it makes sense that this phrase is teinei<\/em> or polite Japanese! People often use \u3053\u308c\u306f\u3053\u308c\u306f\u3054\u4e01\u5be7\u306b in the business world as a comment on a situation they are grateful for. For example, if a customer or coworker brought \u304a\u307f\u3084\u3052 (omiyage<\/em>), or souvenirs, to the office, everyone might say, \u201c\u3053\u308c\u306f\u3053\u308c\u306f\u3054\u4e01\u5be7\u306b!\u201d<\/p>\n \u304a\u304b\u3052\u3055\u307e\u3067\u52a9\u304b\u308a\u307e\u3057\u305f translates to Thanks to you, I was helped.<\/em> You might use this teineigo<\/em> sentence if your coworker assisted you with a project in the office.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll find this phrase most often in the customer service industry. \u6050\u308c\u5165\u308a\u307e\u3059 is used to thank\u2014or apologize to!\u2014customers. That said, it isn\u2019t<\/em> kenjougo<\/em>. The suffix -\u307e\u3059 puts it under the teineigo<\/em> category. You probably won\u2019t need to say \u6050\u308c\u5165\u308a\u307e\u3059 unless you\u2019re serving customers at a restaurant or other facility.<\/p>\n The word \u611f\u8b1d means \u201cthanksgiving\u201d, \u201cgratitude\u201d in English, so this phrase literally means \u201cI am grateful.\u201d It\u2019s a bit too polite to use in daily conversation with your friends. \u611f\u8b1d\u3057\u307e\u3059can be used for giving someone a very heartfelt thanks, like when you thank your parents at a graduation speech or something. It can also be used in the workplace, but might come across as stilted or sappy.<\/p>\n \u3054\u82e6\u52b4\u69d8\u3067\u3059 implies that someone has finished a demanding task and can certainly be used to imply gratitude. It\u2019s not a phrase you say to those above you, but vice versa.<\/p>\n While not literally translated to \u201cthank you,\u201d the phrase \u304a\u4e16\u8a71\u306b\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3059 has many valuable uses in Japanese culture. It literally translates to \u201cI am in your care.\u201d In this case by using the past tense conjugation, you\u2019re showing gratitude for the care, help, or general assistance you received from someone else.<\/p>\n This is probably the word that first comes to mind when you think of \u201cthank you\u201d in Japanese. Of course, arigatou<\/em> gozaimasu<\/em> is a teinei<\/em> form and can be used in any of the above situations as well. If you were to be using arigatou gozaimasu<\/em> when speaking to someone older or higher ranked than yourself, you would want to add doumo<\/em> to the beginning of the phrase: \u3069\u3046\u3082\u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059\uff08doumo arigatou gozaimasu<\/em>\uff09.<\/p>\n If you want to be informal, for example, when thanking a friend or family member, you can simply say: arigatou<\/em>! If you are thanking someone for something that has already happened, say, \u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3057\u305f (arigatou gozaimashita<\/em>), as the -\u3057\u305f conjugation infers past tense.<\/p>\n Another word that multi-tasks in Japanese, sumimasen<\/em> can also be used to say, \u201cexcuse me.\u201d In this case, it is another semi-formal or polite way of saying thank you <\/em>in Japanese. The extremely casual version of this phrase (mostly used by men) is \u6e08\u307e\u306a\u3044\uff08\u3059\u307e\u306a\u3044\u3001sumanai<\/em>\uff09.<\/strong><\/p>\n In Japanese, \u3069\u3046\u3082 can also be a way of saying hello. In this case, it\u2019s a casual way of showing gratitude. Short, sweet, and simple.<\/p>\n In English slang, this could be translated as, \u201cMy bad.\u201d It\u2019s used to thank a friend or colleague who\u2019s done something for you. This is quite informal, so don\u2019t use it with an acquaintance or those above you in the office hierarchy.<\/p>\n A very casual sort of slang word, azaasu<\/em> is just a shortened version of a<\/em><\/strong>rigatogo<\/em>za<\/em><\/strong>im<\/em>asu.<\/em> <\/strong>This is certainly a word you would only use within your immediate social circle. It might even be considered rude by older adults in your family. You probably shouldn\u2019t use \u3042\u3056\u30fc\u3059 with anyone except your friends.<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a borrowed word from English: it\u2019s actually thank you<\/em>! \u30b5\u30f3\u30ad\u30e5\u30fcis another very casual word, so only use it with your friends. It has a friendly, sometimes borderline flirtatious nuance to it.<\/p>\n If you want to say thank you for something specific, there\u2019s a grammatical formula that should help.<\/p>\n verb (-\u3066 form) + \u304f\u308c\u3066 \u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046 (kurete arigatou<\/em>)<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a fairly casual sentence. If you remember from earlier in the article, \u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046 can be made more formal by adding \u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059. You can also replace \u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046 with \u611f\u8b1d\u3057\u307e\u3059 (\u304b\u3093\u3057\u3083\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3001kansha shimasu<\/em>) to make the sentence a bit more heartfelt.<\/p>\n Here are some examples:<\/p>\n Casual: <\/strong>\u201cThanks for helping me with my homework.\u201d<\/p>\n \u5bbf\u984c\u3092\u624b\u4f1d\u3063\u3066\u304f\u308c\u3066\u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046. (\u3057\u3085\u304f\u3060\u3044\u3092\u3066\u3064\u3060\u3063\u3066\u304f\u308c\u3066\u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\u3001<\/p>\n Shukudai wo tetsudatte kurete arigatou.<\/em>)<\/p>\n Polite: <\/strong>\u201cThank you very much for helping me with my homework.\u201d Heartfelt\/More polite: <\/strong>\u201cI\u2019m so grateful that you helped me with my homework.\u201d As we mentioned in the beginning of this article, Japan\u2019s culture is inundated with office parties and gift-giving. But what if you don\u2019t have time to go out, or if you want to politely turn down a gift? Here\u2019s a go-to phrase when you want to express gratitude while politely refusing:<\/p>\n \u6c17\u6301\u3061\u306f\u5b09\u3057\u3044\u3067\u3059\u304c\u2026 (\u304d\u3082\u3061\u306f\u3046\u308c\u3057\u3044\u3067\u3059\u304c\u2026, kimochi wa ureshii desu ga<\/em>\u2026)<\/strong><\/p>\n This roughly translates to, \u201cI appreciate the offer, but\u2026\u201d in English. Technically, the words \u201cthank you\u201d aren\u2019t involved. It\u2019s still the most polite and concise way to begin a sentence of polite refusal.<\/p>\n There are four levels of honorific Japanese language: casual, teineigo<\/em> (polite), sonkeigo<\/em> (honorable), and kenjougo<\/em> (humble). These are important to remember because certain Japanese words or phrases of gratitude might be specific to humble Japanese while others are more polite or honorific.<\/p>\n Either way, it\u2019s better to consider the person you\u2019re thanking: are they in your inner social circle, or uchi<\/em>? If so, you can thank them casually and in a friendly manner. However, if the person you\u2019re speaking to is older, more experienced, or in a higher office position than yourself, it would be a more culturally correct thing to thank them using an honorific or humble phrase of gratitude.<\/p>\n What\u2019s your experience with thanking people in Japanese? Let us know in the comments! Or, if you\u2019re learning all of this for the first time, tell us which of these Japanese words for thank you<\/em> was your favorite! Thank you for reading this article about gratitude in Japanese.<\/p>\n Clozemaster\u00a0<\/strong>has been designed to help you learn the language in context by filling in the gaps in authentic sentences. With\u00a0features such as Grammar Challenges, Cloze-Listening, and Cloze-Reading, the app will let you emphasize all the competencies necessary to become fluent in Japanese.<\/p>\nJapanese Levels of Formality<\/h2>\n
Casual Japanese<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u4e01\u5be7\u8a9e (\u3066\u3044\u306d\u3044\u3054\u3001teineigo<\/em>) \u2013 Polite Form<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u5c0a\u656c\u8a9e (\u305d\u3093\u3051\u3044\u3054\u3001sonkeigo<\/em>) \u2013 Honorific Form<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u8b19\u8b72\u8a9e (\u3051\u3093\u3058\u3087\u3046\u3054\u3001kenjougo<\/em>) \u2013 Humble Form<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Saying Thank You<\/em> in Japanese<\/h2>\n
\u6050\u7e2e\u3067\u3059 (\u304d\u3087\u3046\u3057\u3085\u304f\u3067\u3059\u3001kyoushuku desu<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u611f\u8b1d\u306e\u8a00\u8449\u3082\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093. (\u304b\u3093\u3057\u3083\u306e\u3053\u3068\u3070\u3082\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3001Kansha no kotoba mo gozaimasen<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u5fa1\u793c\u7533\/\u304a\u793c \u7533\u3057\u4e0a\u3052\u307e\u3059 (\u304a\u3093\u308c\u3044\/\u304a\u308c\u3044 \u3082\u3046\u3057\u3042\u3052\u307e\u3059\u3001onrei\/orei moushi agemasu<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u3053\u308c\u306f\u3053\u308c\u306f\u3054\u4e01\u5be7\u306b\u2026 (\u3053\u308c\u306f\u3053\u308c\u306f\u3054\u3066\u3044\u306d\u3044\u306b\u2026\u3001Kore wa kore wa go teinei ni\u2026<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u304a\u304b\u3052\u3055\u307e\u3067\u52a9\u304b\u308a\u307e\u3057\u305f. (\u304a\u304b\u3052\u3055\u307e\u3067\u305f\u3059\u304b\u308a\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3001Okage sama de tasukarimashita<\/em>.)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u6050\u308c\u5165\u308a\u307e\u3059 (\u304a\u305d\u308c\u3044\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3001osore irimasu<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u611f\u8b1d\u3057\u307e\u3059 (\u304b\u3093\u3057\u3083\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3001kansha shimasu<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u3054\u82e6\u52b4\u69d8\u3067\u3059.\uff08\u3054\u304f\u308d\u3046\u3055\u307e\u3067\u3059\u3001Gokurou sama desu.<\/em>\uff09<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u304a\u4e16\u8a71\u306b\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3057\u305f. (\u304a\u305b\u308f\u306b\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3001Osewa ni narimashita.<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059. (Arigatou gozaimasu.<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u3059\u307e\u307e\u305b\u3093 (sumimasen<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u3069\u3046\u3082 (doumo<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u60aa\u3044\u306a (\u308f\u308b\u3044\u306a\u3001warui na<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u3042\u3056\u30fc\u3059 (azaasu<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u30b5\u30f3\u30ad\u30e5\u30fc (sankyuu<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Thanking Someone for a Specific Thing<\/h2>\n
\n\u5bbf\u984c\u3092\u624b\u4f1d\u3063\u3066\u304f\u308c\u3066\u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059. (\u3057\u3085\u304f\u3060\u3044\u3092\u3066\u3064\u3060\u3063\u3066\u304f\u308c\u3066\u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3001Shukudai wo tetsudatte kurete arigatou gozaimasu.<\/em>)<\/p>\n
\n\u5bbf\u984c\u3092\u624b\u4f1d\u3063\u3066\u304f\u308c\u3066\u611f\u8b1d\u3057\u307e\u3059. (\u3057\u3085\u304f\u3060\u3044\u3092\u3066\u3064\u3060\u3063\u3066\u304f\u308c\u3066\u304b\u3093\u3057\u3083\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3001Shukudai wo tetsudatte kurete kansha shimasu<\/em>.)<\/p>\nSaying Thank You in Japanese When You\u2019re Refusing Something<\/h2>\n
Thank You\u00a0<\/em>in Japanese \u2013 Conclusion<\/h2>\n
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\n \n Learn Japanese in context with Clozemaster<\/h2>\n
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