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8 Ways to Say "Thank You" in Different Languages

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Have you ever wondered how people around the world express their gratitude? Wonder no more, because here you'll find out how to say "thank you" in 8 different languages. Without further ado, let's get to it!

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If you are reading this, you probably already know this one. However, it's interesting to consider the etymology of the word "thanks". It derives from the Old English and Proto-Germanic words for "thought" and "memory" and, according to Merriam-Webster, it is also related to the Latin word tongēre, "to know". When you give your thanks to someone, you are acknowledging what they have done for you and stating that you won't forget it.

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Spanish is one of the most widespread languages in the world, and you'll probably be surprised to learn that the United States is the second country with the largest number of Spanish speakers in the world (yes, including Spain!). If you are feeling extra-grateful, you can go beyond the simple gracias and say muchas gracias! (thanks a lot!) or muchísimas gracias! (thank you very much!).

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For non-native speakers, Mandarin Chinese is an incredibly difficult language to learn. However, due to the size and population density of its country of origin, it's spoken by way over 900 million people. That's over 900 million people you can now say "thank you" to! Not a small number by any means.

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Merci has been in use in the French language, as an expression of gratitude, at least from the 12th century onward. It derives from a Latin word meaning "wage" or "price", but its modern use comes from the Old French mercit, meaning "gift," "kindness," or even "pity". In the latter sense, it shares roots with the English word "mercy".

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There are plenty of ways to say "thank you" in Hindi, another one of the most widespread languages in the world. Dhanyavaad is the most formal one, but also quite standard, and you'll never go wrong with it. Shukriyaa, on the other hand, is more informal and should be reserved for your friends and family. Lastly, thaiṅkyū is kind of a cheat, as it is a loan word that tries to replicate the way "thank you" sounds.

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This one is a little different. Because of how Portuguese grammar works, how to say "thank you" will depend on the gender of the speaker. Men should say Obrigado, while women should say Obrigada. They both mean "I'm thankful" or, if you'd rather get technical, "I'm indebted to you".

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Being one of the largest countries in terms of surface area, Russian is a language spoken by a proportionally large number of people. Spasiba, sometimes written phonetically in English as "Spa See Bah", is the most common expression used to say "thank you" in Russian. It is short for Spasi Bog, which translates to something close to "let God save you".

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It has been suggested that Arigatō derives from a phonetic corruption of the Portuguese Obrigado. However, this has been disproven, and both of these ways to say "thank you" are false cognates. Arigatō, and the longer and more formal arigatō gozaimasu, find their roots in an old Japanese word meaning "rare" or "precious". It signifies the gratitude felt for an outstanding kindness received.