![\""Danke!"](\"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/word-image.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
In polite conversation, knowing how to thank people is invaluable. Whether it\u2019s in an email, at the store, during work, or on a thank-you note, \u201cthank you\u201d, in all its shapes and forms, is crucial to add to your vocabulary in any new language you learn. Since German has different pronouns and modes of speaking based on formality, people will expect a certain level of respect in interactions depending on how well you know them and what your relation to them is. Knowing how to say thank you in German is an important part of navigating the social sphere!<\/p>\n
(Photo by Wilhelm Gunkel<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n Danke<\/em> is the equivalent of \u201cthanks\u201d in German. It\u2019s a good \u201cthank you\u201d to use with friends, family and for peers (whether that\u2019s in terms of coworkers, or by age).<\/p>\n Since some variation on dank<\/em> or danke<\/em> is going to appear in most German \u201cthank you\u201d phrases it should be noted that the \u201ca\u201d sound is a long \u201ca\u201d like in the English \u201ccar\u201d or \u201cball\u201d, so Danke is pronounced [Dahn-keh] or if the IPA notation<\/a> makes more sense to you [‘da\u014bk\u0259]. It should not<\/strong> be pronounced like the English \u201ctank\u201d.<\/p>\n In German-speaking areas that either share a border with a French-speaking country or have French as an official language (such as Belgium<\/a>, Switzerland<\/a>, and Alsace-Lorraine<\/a>), you may hear merci<\/em> being used as the most common thank you instead of dank<\/em>e.<\/p>\n These are appropriate for use with more distantly related elders, bosses and other work superiors, teachers, officials, or other authority figures. It\u2019s good to remember, though, that just because these are more formal doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t use them with friends, family, partners, or peers!<\/p>\n Like in English, using a more formal phrase of gratitude can express earnestness or a stronger emotional intent.<\/p>\n Danke sehr<\/em> is the closest German phrase to \u201cthank you very much\u201d. Although a slightly more literal translation might be \u201cthanks much\u201d, it doesn\u2019t carry the same casual connotation and therefore can be used in formal situations.<\/p>\n This is not a perfect translation for \u201cthank you very much\u201d, but danke sch\u00f6n<\/em> is a good substitute because it’s also a stronger phrase than just \u201cthanks\u201d that expresses the same level of gratitude as \u201cthank you very much\u201d.<\/p>\n Vielen Dank<\/em> is equally formal as the last two phrases, so feel free to use them interchangeably. If you want to express even more thanks you can duplicate the Vielen<\/em>, so it becomes Vielen, vielen Dank<\/em> which is just \u201cThank you very, very much\u201d.<\/p>\n You may also want to note that I\u2019ve run into Vielen Dank<\/em> frequently as an email or letter sign off, as in:<\/p>\n \u201cVielen Dank, (Many thanks, So if you need to write any emails in German, keep Vielen Dank<\/em> in mind.<\/p>\n This is another \u201cthank you very much\u201d that works well on thank you notes, letters, and the like. Herzlichen Dank can also mean \u201ca hearty thanks\u201d, and can convey both cordiality and warm-fuzzies, whatever suits your purposes best.<\/p>\n (Photo by Kelly Sikkema<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n More literally, Tausend Dank<\/em> translates to \u201ca thousand thanks\u201d. It\u2019s the least formal out of the \u201cthank you very much\u201d phrases listed here, but still an option to use with people with whom you have a close working relationship or something similar.<\/p>\n Examples of German \u201cthank you very much\u201d expressions in use:<\/p>\n The following phrases are appropriate for the most formal of settings. They are best used with authority figures and to express high gratitude.<\/p>\n Remember that German has different pronouns for different levels of formality<\/a>? Using a more formal second-person pronoun will raise the formality level of any phrase. Pairing the right pronouns with a phrase of equal formality is an important part of navigating German formal speech, but it means keeping the different declensions and forms in mind when speaking.<\/p>\n By using the formal second-person pronoun \u201cIhnen\u201d, the phrase I thank you,<\/em> which is pretty formal already, becomes even more formal. Its less formal cousin Ich danke dir<\/em>, uses the informal second-person pronoun dir<\/em> instead of Ihnen<\/em>, lowering the formality of the phrase.<\/p>\n Further, it feels strange to say because the formality of the first half Ich danke<\/em>\u00a0is high, but the formality of the pronoun dir<\/em> is low, so there is a mismatch.<\/p>\n This phrase may look the same as the last one, and it\u2019s pronounced the same too, but because of overlap between third-person plural and second-person formal pronouns, this phrase can also mean \u201cI thank them\u201d.<\/p>\n To indicate the difference between formal second person Ihnen<\/em>, and the third-person ihnen<\/em> in writing the formal second person Ihnen<\/em> is capitalized while the other is not.<\/p>\n For Ich danke euch<\/em> the translation may look the same as for the first of this section, but again it\u2019s a matter of pronouns. German distinguishes between the second-person singular you and the second-person plural you (in English this is sometimes \u201cyou guys\u201d, \u201cyou all\u201d or \u201cya\u2019ll\u201d), and euch<\/em>\u00a0is plural.<\/p>\n So, if you are looking to thank a group of people formally Ich danke euch<\/em>\u00a0is the way to go.<\/p>\n In English \u201cthanks\u201d can be a noun or a verb (\u201cto thank\u201d). In German, it\u2019s the same.<\/p>\n You may have noticed in the examples so far that the Dank<\/em>\u00a0in Vielen Dank <\/em>gets capitalized, but the danke<\/em> in Ich danke Ihnen <\/em>does not. This is due to Dank<\/em>\u00a0being used as a noun in the first example and a verb in the second.<\/p>\n This is important for two reasons:<\/p>\n German has phrases that include the word danke<\/em>\u00a0that aren\u2019t strictly expressions of gratitude.<\/p>\n To learn more about phrases you can use to to say \u201cyou’re welcome\u201d in German, check out our post: 10+ Ways to Say \u201cYou\u2019re Welcome\u201d in German<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you\u201d in German can be said in various registers of politeness. Knowing when to use which expression is a part of German social graces. Along with a few other related polite phrases, we covered 8 major ways of saying thank you and sorted them into different levels of formality condensed below:<\/p>\n If you want further information on polite phrases, check this article from the blog on 100+ Common German Phrases and Expressions<\/a>, or this one on saying goodbye in German<\/a>.<\/p>\n Thank you for reading! Vielen Dank!<\/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 features such as Grammar Challenges, Cloze-Listening, and Cloze-Reading, the app will let you emphasize all the competencies necessary to become fluent in German.<\/p>\n<\/a>Informal German Thank You<\/h2>\n
<\/a>The most common informal way to say thank you in German is danke<\/strong> <\/em>(\u201cthanks\u201d)!<\/h3>\n
<\/a>A few examples of danke<\/em> in use are:<\/h4>\n
\n
<\/a>Note on pronunciation:<\/h4>\n
<\/a>In certain regions with French-speaking influences you may hear merci <\/strong><\/em>(\u201cthanks\u201d)!<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Thank You Very Much in German and Other Formal Expressions of Gratitude<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Thank you very much in German is danke sehr<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Danke sch\u00f6n<\/strong><\/em> (\u201cthank you kindly\u201d) is an alternative for \u201cthank you very much\u201d<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Another good choice is Vielen Dank <\/strong><\/em>which means \u201cmany thanks\u201d in German<\/h3>\n
\nDavid\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>David<\/em>)<\/p>\n![\"\u201cthanks!\u201d](\"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/word-image.jpeg\")
<\/h3>\n<\/a>Herzlichen Dank <\/strong><\/em>(\u201cA heartfelt thank you\u201d)!<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Tausend Dank <\/strong><\/em>(\u201cThanks a million\u201d)!<\/h3>\n
\n
<\/a>Most Formal German \u201cThank You\u201d<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Ich danke Ihnen<\/em><\/strong> (\u201cI thank you\u201d [sing.|formal]<\/em>) = Maximum formality<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Two Variations:<\/h4>\n
\n
<\/a>Ich danke ihnen<\/strong><\/em> (\u201cI thank them\u201d [pl.]<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Ich danke euch<\/strong><\/em> (\u201cI thank you\u201d [pl.|formal]<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Danke<\/em> as a verb<\/h4>\n
\n
<\/a>\u201cNo, Thank You\u201d in German and Other Related Phrases<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Here\u2019s a list of some you might hear and what they mean:<\/h4>\n
\n
<\/a>Other polite expressions:<\/h4>\n
\n
<\/a>Wrap Up<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Informal<\/h4>\n
\n
<\/a>Formal \/ \u201cThank you very much\u201d<\/h4>\n
\n
<\/a>Most Formal<\/h4>\n
\n
\nLearn German faster with Clozemaster ?<\/div>\n