Thanks in Different Languages
Discover 'Thanks' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'thanks' is a simple yet powerful expression of gratitude in English. Its significance goes beyond mere politeness, as it has the power to build connections, strengthen relationships, and create positive vibes. The cultural importance of expressing gratitude is universal, and every language has its own unique way of saying 'thanks'.
For instance, did you know that in Hawaiian, 'thanks' is 'mahalo', and in Japanese, it's 'arigato'? Or that in Maori, the indigenous language of New Zealand, 'thanks' is 'kia ora'? These translations not only offer a glimpse into the language but also provide a window into the culture and traditions of the people who speak them.
Understanding the translation of 'thanks' in different languages can enrich your travel experiences, foster cross-cultural communication, and show respect to people from different backgrounds. It's a small step that can lead to big rewards.
Thanks
Thanks in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | dankie | ||
| The word 'dankie' is derived from the Dutch word 'danke', which in turn is derived from the Old French word 'merci'. | |||
| Amharic | አመሰግናለሁ | ||
| In Amharic, the term "አመሰግናለሁ" not only expresses gratitude but also implies a sense of honor and respect, similar to the Japanese concept of "on". | |||
| Hausa | godiya | ||
| The Hausa word 'godiya' is derived from the Arabic word 'shukran', which also means 'thanks'. It can also be used to express gratitude, appreciation, or recognition. | |||
| Igbo | daalụ | ||
| The Igbo word "daalụ" can also mean "I accept your gift or kindness". | |||
| Malagasy | misaotra | ||
| MISAOTRA is cognate with the Indonesian 'terima kasih', meaning 'I receive your blessing'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zikomo | ||
| Derived from the verb -komoka, meaning "to receive" or "to get" | |||
| Shona | ndatenda | ||
| The word 'ndatenda' (thanks) is derived from the verb 'kutenda' meaning 'to act', and specifically 'to act on a person's behalf' | |||
| Somali | mahadsanid | ||
| In the Somali language, the word 'mahadsanid' originates from the Arabic word 'shukran' and also carries the meaning of 'gratitude'. | |||
| Sesotho | kea leboha | ||
| In Sesotho, "kea leboha" is a polite way to express gratitude and can also mean "I am grateful" or "I appreciate it". | |||
| Swahili | asante | ||
| "Asante" in Swahili can also mean "you are welcome" or "okay." | |||
| Xhosa | enkosi | ||
| "Enkosi" can also refer to a respected leader or lord. | |||
| Yoruba | o ṣeun | ||
| The Yoruba word "o ṣeun" can also mean "I am grateful" or "I appreciate it." | |||
| Zulu | ngiyabonga | ||
| The Zulu word "ngiyabonga" is derived from the Proto-Bantu word "*bu-gonga", meaning "to beat" or "to strike," implying that the expression of gratitude was originally accompanied by a physical gesture. | |||
| Bambara | barika | ||
| Ewe | akpe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | murakoze | ||
| Lingala | matondi | ||
| Luganda | weebale | ||
| Sepedi | ke a leboga | ||
| Twi (Akan) | aseda | ||
Thanks in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | شكر | ||
| The Arabic word "شكر" can also mean "sweetness" or "sugar", reflecting the cultural connection between gratitude and sweetness in many languages. | |||
| Hebrew | תודה | ||
| "תודה" may also mean "confession" or "admission" and is related to the Aramaic word "מודא" meaning "to confess". | |||
| Pashto | مننه | ||
| "مننه" is also used by younger generations to express their gratitude. | |||
| Arabic | شكر | ||
| The Arabic word "شكر" can also mean "sweetness" or "sugar", reflecting the cultural connection between gratitude and sweetness in many languages. | |||
Thanks in Western European Languages
| Albanian | faleminderit | ||
| The Albanian word "faleminderit" is derived from the Turkish phrase "Allah amin derim," meaning "May God say amen." | |||
| Basque | eskerrik asko | ||
| The Basque phrase "eskerrik asko" is translated literally as "many thanks" and is a compound of "esker" (thanks) and "asko" (many). | |||
| Catalan | gràcies | ||
| The plural form "gràcies" is used as a polite formula, as in Spanish "gracias" | |||
| Croatian | hvala | ||
| Hvala is a Slavic word that is cognate with Russian хвалить (khvalit), 'to praise'. | |||
| Danish | tak | ||
| The word "tak" in Danish can also mean "roof" or "ceiling", derived from the Old Norse word "þak" meaning "covering". | |||
| Dutch | bedankt | ||
| "Bedanken" in Dutch is a cognate of "thank" in English but also means "to resign" and is derived from "bank" (a bench), because it is where people would withdraw after dinner to sit and talk. | |||
| English | thanks | ||
| The word "thanks" is derived from the Old English word "þancian," meaning "to think" or "to give thanks." | |||
| French | merci | ||
| "Mercy" in "merci" is also related to medical care and pity. | |||
| Frisian | tank | ||
| Tank (thanks) in Frisian also has the meaning of "a lot" | |||
| Galician | grazas | ||
| The word "grazas" in Galician comes from the Latin word "gratia", meaning "favor, gratitude, or thanks"} | |||
| German | vielen dank | ||
| Vielen Dank is a phrase derived from Middle High German "vilen danc" or "vilen dank" which originally meant "great remembrance" or "many thanks". | |||
| Icelandic | takk fyrir | ||
| The Icelandic word "takk fyrir" is thought to be a contraction of "mér þakki fyrir," which literally means "for me, thanks." | |||
| Irish | go raibh maith agat | ||
| The phrase 'go raibh maith agat' in Irish translates as 'may good be with you', and is an idiomatic expression of gratitude. | |||
| Italian | grazie | ||
| The Italian word 'grazie' comes from the Latin 'gratia', which means 'favour' or 'grace'. | |||
| Luxembourgish | merci | ||
| The Luxembourgish "merci" is derived from French and is cognate with "mercy" (showing compassion) and "merchandise" (commodities). | |||
| Maltese | grazzi | ||
| Maltese word "grazzi" comes from the phrase "grazzi ta' Alla," which means "thanks to God." | |||
| Norwegian | takk | ||
| The Icelandic "takk" and Swedish "tack" also mean "thanks". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | obrigado | ||
| The Portuguese word "obrigado" comes from the Latin word "obligatus," meaning "bound" or "indebted." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | mòran taing | ||
| Mòran taing derives from "mòr" (great), "taing" (thing), suggesting expressing gratitude for something substantial. | |||
| Spanish | gracias | ||
| The Spanish word "gracias" is derived from the Latin phrase "gratia agere," meaning "to express gratitude." | |||
| Swedish | tack | ||
| The word 'tack' is a loanword from German meaning 'roof'. | |||
| Welsh | diolch | ||
| The word 'diolch' is derived from the Welsh word 'diolchgarwch,' meaning 'gratitude' or 'thankfulness'. | |||
Thanks in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | дзякуй | ||
| The word "дзякуй" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *děkovati, which also meant "to show gratitude". | |||
| Bosnian | hvala | ||
| In Bosnian, 'hvala' can also mean 'praise' or 'gratitude,' and is related to the Proto-Slavic word 'chvala' meaning 'glory' | |||
| Bulgarian | благодаря | ||
| The word "благодаря" ("thanks") in Bulgarian is derived from the Old Slavonic word "благодарниа" ("gratitude"), which in turn comes from the Proto-Slavic root "*blagъ" ("good"). | |||
| Czech | dík | ||
| The Czech word "dík" derives from the Slavic root of the verb "díti se," meaning "to happen" and also refers to a "judicial verdict" | |||
| Estonian | aitäh | ||
| "Aitäh" is of unknown origin, but has been theorized to derive from the imperative form of either "aita" ("help") or "aitama" ("to help"). It has also been proposed that it originates from a loanword from Russian, "ай да" ("ay da"), expressing praise. | |||
| Finnish | kiitos | ||
| In Finnish, "Kiitos" is also a name given to children, often used for boys. | |||
| Hungarian | köszönöm | ||
| The Hungarian word "köszönöm" is derived from the phrase "könnyebb szívvel", meaning "with a lighter heart". | |||
| Latvian | paldies | ||
| In Latvian, "Paldies" evolved from an expression meaning "God save you" and "for health". | |||
| Lithuanian | dėkoju | ||
| The word "dėkoju" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *dek-, meaning "to show" or "to point out". | |||
| Macedonian | благодарам | ||
| The word "благодарам" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "благодар" meaning "to show kindness, to do good." | |||
| Polish | dzięki | ||
| The word "dzięki" in Polish can also mean "due to" or "thanks to". | |||
| Romanian | mulțumiri | ||
| "Mulțumesc" is a contraction of "mult" (much) and "umesc" (I am content). | |||
| Russian | благодаря | ||
| The word "благодаря" originally meant "to give a gift" in Old Russian and later acquired the additional meaning of "to express gratitude". | |||
| Serbian | хвала | ||
| The word "Хвала" derives from the Old Church Slavonic word "хвалити" (hvaliti), meaning "to praise" or "to commend." | |||
| Slovak | vďaka | ||
| The word "Vďaka" can also be used to express gratitude for past deeds, or to acknowledge a favor that has been done. | |||
| Slovenian | hvala | ||
| The word 'hvala' also has connotations of praise and gratitude. | |||
| Ukrainian | дякую | ||
| The Ukrainian word "Дякую" originated from the Proto-Slavic word "děkъ", meaning "to show gratitude" | |||
Thanks in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ধন্যবাদ | ||
| In Bengali, "ধন্যবাদ" can also mean "gratitude," "blessing," or "adoration." | |||
| Gujarati | આભાર | ||
| Derived from Sanskrit, âbhâr can also mean 'greatness/heaviness/importance' in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | धन्यवाद | ||
| The word "धन्यवाद" is derived from the Sanskrit word "धन्यः" meaning "blessed" or "fortunate" and "वाद" meaning "to speak". | |||
| Kannada | ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು | ||
| The Kannada word "ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು" (dhanyavādahaḷu) derives from Sanskrit and literally means "I am fortunate (to receive your favor)". | |||
| Malayalam | നന്ദി | ||
| The word "നന്ദി" in Malayalam can also refer to a cow or an ancient Hindu sage. | |||
| Marathi | धन्यवाद | ||
| धन्यवाद, derived from Sanskrit, also means "blessed" in Marathi, conveying gratitude with a sense of reverence. | |||
| Nepali | धन्यवाद | ||
| The word "धन्यवाद" is derived from Sanskrit words "धन्य" (blessed) and "वाद" (words), meaning "expressing blessings or gratitude." | |||
| Punjabi | ਧੰਨਵਾਦ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ස්තූතියි | ||
| Tamil | நன்றி | ||
| The Tamil word "நன்றி" is derived from the Sanskrit word "अनुग्रह" meaning "favor" or "grace". | |||
| Telugu | ధన్యవాదాలు | ||
| The word "ధన్యవాదాలు" (dhanyavadalu) in Telugu is derived from the Sanskrit word "धन्यवाद" (dhanyavada), which means "blessing" or "gratitude." | |||
| Urdu | شکریہ | ||
| The word "شکریہ" is derived from the Persian word "شکر" meaning "sugar" and is also used to express gratitude in Farsi and Arabic. | |||
Thanks in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 谢谢 | ||
| The word "谢谢" (xièxie) is composed of the characters "谢" (xiè), meaning "to thank" or "to apologize", and "谢" (xiè), meaning "multiple" or "repetition". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 謝謝 | ||
| The word "謝謝" is composed of the characters "謝" (xiè), meaning "to thank" or "to apologize", and "謝" (xiè), meaning "to give thanks". | |||
| Japanese | ありがとう | ||
| "Arigatō" is a combination of the Japanese root words "ari" (to be, exist), "gata" (form, shape) and "i" (do, perform). | |||
| Korean | 감사 | ||
| The word 감사 (thanks) also means "watching with great care" in Korean, as it shares its root with the words 감 (감시, watching) and 사 (사찰, observing). | |||
| Mongolian | баярлалаа | ||
| The word "баярлалаа" (thanks) in Mongolian originally meant "to rejoice" or "to be happy". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကျေးဇူးတင်ပါတယ် | ||
Thanks in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | terima kasih | ||
| "Terima kasih" literally means "receive respect" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | matur nuwun | ||
| The word "matur nuwun" in Javanese not only means "thanks," but also carries a sense of respect and gratitude towards the recipient, akin to the Japanese concept of "arigato gozaimasu." | |||
| Khmer | សូមអរគុណ | ||
| The word "សូមអរគុណ" is a compound word that literally means "request good fortune". | |||
| Lao | ຂອບໃຈ | ||
| The word "ຂອບໃຈ" in Lao is derived from the Sanskrit word "kṛta" meaning "made" or "done" and "jña" meaning "know" or "understand". | |||
| Malay | terima kasih | ||
| "Terima kasih" is of Sanskrit origin, consisting of "terima" (Sanskrit: tṛ̣̣ī) meaning "to accept" and "kasih" (Sanskrit: kāruṇya) meaning "mercy" | |||
| Thai | ขอบคุณ | ||
| "ขอบคุณ" (khàawpkhun) literally means "fold one's hands" and is also used as a polite way to request something. | |||
| Vietnamese | cảm ơn | ||
| "Cảm ơn" is a Vietnamese word formed by two characters: "cảm" meaning "feeling" and "ơn" meaning "grace" or "favor". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | salamat | ||
Thanks in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | təşəkkürlər | ||
| "Təşəkkürlər" can also be used to express gratitude for a gift or a favor. | |||
| Kazakh | рахмет | ||
| In Kazakh, ``рахмет`` (thanks) is a loan word from Arabic, where it also refers to a camel or horse's forehead or the act of praising or thanking someone. | |||
| Kyrgyz | рахмат | ||
| "Рахмат" in Kyrgyz can also mean "blessing" or "forgiveness." | |||
| Tajik | ташаккур | ||
| The Tajik word "ташаккур" is derived from the Persian word "تشکر" and ultimately comes from the Arabic word "شكر", which means "gratitude" or "thanksgiving." | |||
| Turkmen | sag bol | ||
| Uzbek | rahmat | ||
| The Uzbek word “rahmat” for "thanks" is related to the Persian word "rahm” meaning "mercy". | |||
| Uyghur | رەھمەت | ||
Thanks in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mahalo | ||
| Mahalo originally denoted an offering given in exchange for a gift or favor. | |||
| Maori | whakawhetai | ||
| "Whakawhetai" also means "to express one's thanks" and is often used as a noun in Maori, as in "he whakawhetai" (an expression of thanks). | |||
| Samoan | faʻafetai | ||
| Faʻafetai can also mean to 'offer blessings' in Samoan, expressing gratitude through prayers. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | salamat | ||
| The Tagalog word "salamat" is derived from the Arabic word "salaam", meaning "peace" or "well-being". | |||
Thanks in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | pay suma | ||
| Guarani | aguyjevete | ||
Thanks in International Languages
| Esperanto | dankon | ||
| The word dankon can also be used to express gratitude for someone's service or to show appreciation for a gift. | |||
| Latin | gratias ago | ||
| The Latin phrase "gratias ago" also means "I perform a favor" and is related to the word "gratia," meaning "favor, kindness, or gratitude." | |||
Thanks in Others Languages
| Greek | ευχαριστώ | ||
| The word "ευχαριστώ" in Greek means "to give back grace" or "to be grateful". | |||
| Hmong | ua tsaug | ||
| The word "ua tsaug" is a compound word, made up of the words "ua" (to give) and "tsaug" (a gift). | |||
| Kurdish | spas | ||
| Spas is also a Kurmanji word for "respect", and can be used to express gratitude or thanks. | |||
| Turkish | teşekkürler | ||
| The word "teşekkürler" is derived from the Persian phrase "taškur" meaning "acknowledgment" or "gratitude". | |||
| Xhosa | enkosi | ||
| "Enkosi" can also refer to a respected leader or lord. | |||
| Yiddish | דאַנקען | ||
| In Yiddish, the word "דאַנקען" is derived from the Middle High German "danc", meaning "gratitude" or "acknowledgment." | |||
| Zulu | ngiyabonga | ||
| The Zulu word "ngiyabonga" is derived from the Proto-Bantu word "*bu-gonga", meaning "to beat" or "to strike," implying that the expression of gratitude was originally accompanied by a physical gesture. | |||
| Assamese | ধন্যবাদ | ||
| Aymara | pay suma | ||
| Bhojpuri | धन्यवाद | ||
| Dhivehi | ޝުކުރިއްޔާ | ||
| Dogri | धन्नवाद | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | salamat | ||
| Guarani | aguyjevete | ||
| Ilocano | agyaman | ||
| Krio | tɛnki | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سوپاس | ||
| Maithili | धन्यवाद | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯥꯒꯠꯆꯔꯤ | ||
| Mizo | ka lawm e | ||
| Oromo | galatoomi | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଧନ୍ୟବାଦ | ||
| Quechua | riqsikuyki | ||
| Sanskrit | धन्यवादा | ||
| Tatar | рәхмәт | ||
| Tigrinya | የቅንየለይ | ||
| Tsonga | inkomu | ||