From Anime Slang to Formal Expressions: How to Say Thank You in Japanese?

Understanding the Variations of How to Say Thank You in Japanese

The Japanese language has multiple ways of saying “thank you” with slightly different nuances.

As you might already know, even a versatile expression like Play すみません sumimasen can sometimes be used to mean “thank you”.

This is a very difficult aspect of the Japanese language, but also a very interesting one.

 In many situations, expressing gratitude without directly saying “thank you” is a very Japanese-sounding expression. If you use the expressions appropriately, you’ll be able to surprise Japanese people!

In this blog we’ll explore several expressions of gratitude in Japanese and how to use them. Using the right expression for the right occasion is important and difficult not only in Japanese but in any language. 

We’ll also look at slang versions of thank you for enjoying anime and Japanese Internet culture. Most of the slang has also been derived from formal expressions. By understanding formal expressions, you will also understand slang better!

Thank You in Japanese || Formal Expressions

Thank You in Japanese || Casual Expressions

Thank You in Japanese || Highly Context-Sensitive Expressions

Thank You in Japanese || Very Colloquial Expressions and Slang

Thank You in Japanese || FAQs

Thank You in Japanese || Formal Expressions

  When it comes to expressions of gratitude in Japanese, most people have heard of Play ありがとう arigatou.

But ありがとう (arigatou) is a casual expression and saying this to a superior is considered a little rude. 

 If you are not yet proficient in Japanese and you want to express gratitude without risking sounding rude, you should say:

Play ありがとうございます

arigatou gozaimasu

 To express gratitude more strongly, add the word どうも (doumo) and say:

Play どうもありがとうございます

doumo arigatou gozaimasu

 In everyday situations, using どうもありがとうございます (doumo arigatou gozaimasu) will give a very polite and courteous impression. If you use this expression, at least you don’t have to worry about displeasing or offending others.

👉 However, if you say it to someone much younger than yourself or a subordinate, it gives a strange impression, so in this case, just say Play ありがとう arigatou.

 The adjectival form of the word ありがとう (arigatou) is Play ありがたい (arigatai), which literally means “hard or rare to exist.” To say ありがとう (arigatou) is essentially saying “this is so rare that I must be thankful.”

Since you’re learning how to be polite in Japan, don’t forget to learn how to say Sorry in Japanese too! 

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Thank You in Japanese || Casual Expressions

For those who are close to you, use expressions such as:

Play どうも doumo

Play ありがと arigato arigatou with the ending abbreviated

Play サンキュー sankyu, the Japanese reading of English

In colloquial speech, some vowels are often omitted. For example, さようなら sayounara is pronounced さよなら sayonara, ありがとう arigatou is pronounced ありがと arigato, and so on. Even どうも doumo is sometimes pronounced ども domo.

 どうも (doumo) is another versatile expression. It is the kind of expression you would use as a casual greeting or as a way of saying thanks, when borrowing something and returning it, for example. 

Which is more polite, ありがと arigato or どうも doumo?

For the author, saying どうも doumo is preferred when appreciating the favor of strangers. ありがとう Arigatou is an expression used for people of the same or lower rank, so it is perceived as too familiar an expression to a stranger.

To strangers, it is better to say Play ありがとうございます arigatou gozaimasu or Play どうもありがとうございます doumo arigatou gozaimasu.

Thank You in Japanese || Highly Context-Sensitive Expressions

 As already mentioned, there are many generic expressions in Japanese that have various meanings depending on the context. 

  Play すみません sumimasen, for example, can be used to express gratitude, to apologize, or to speak to someone in the sense of “excuse me.” 

 In this section, let’s discuss expressions that are not directly expressing gratitude, but can be used to express gratitude in the actual flow of conversation.

  Play お疲れさまです otsukaresama desu is a frequently used expression in the workplace, and like すみません (sumimasen) it has a variety of meanings. In business situations, it is used in a great variety of meanings, such as greeting, thanks, farewell, and so on. 

 For example, it is used when meeting with a colleague. This expression is also used to thank someone for a job well done. For example, when you receive a document you had asked for from someone, you say, お疲れさまです (otsukaresama desu).

 It can also be used as a parting greeting to colleagues or superiors.

In daily conversation among Japanese people, it is not common to say さよなら (sayonara) clearly as a parting greeting, but expressions like お疲れさまです (otsukaresama desu) are used.

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  Play ご苦労さまです Gokurousama desu is also one of the expressions of gratitude used to thank someone for their labor. But you are not supposed to say this to your boss or superiors. This expression is used by a superior to a subordinate. It is usually safer to say お疲れさまです (otsukaresama desu). 

  Play ご苦労 Gokurou is often used by bosses. It sounds like “well done.” 苦労 (kurou) means hardships, and ご go is a prefix added to increase politeness. 

  Play お世話になりました Osewa ni narimashita is also a very polite way to express gratitude. For example, after staying for a few days on a trip, you say to the host of the place you were staying when you leave. It is also used as a greeting upon resignation.

  Play 世話 Sewa literally means caring or consideration. It is an expression of gratitude for the care and attention you have received over the previous period. 

Thank you in Japanese || Very Colloquial Expressions and Slang

 Want to enjoy more Japanese anime?

If so, you should know about slang to say “thank you” that frequently appears in anime and is used in everyday conversation. But it is safer not to use these expressions yourself.　

  Play あざす azasu or Play あざっす azassu is an abbreviated form of ありがとうざいます (arigatou gozaimasu). It is a very casual expression, so it’s best to avoid using it yourself. 

 In Japan, this expression is often associated with members of a school club or part-time employees at a convenience store. So this expression appears frequently in animations that are set in schools. But if you were to say this to your boss at work, you would be fired immediately. 

 In Internet slang, 乙 Play おつ otsu is said to mean お疲れさまです (otsukaresama desu).

乙 is a kanji character that expresses sophistication and cleverness, but because of the way it is read, it has taken root as Internet slang. It may also be used verbally as slang. This expression is also totally discouraged for use in the workplace.

 As an expression derived from this, Play わこつ wakotsu is used. It’s a shrunken form of 枠乙 Play わくおつ waku otsu, where 枠 (waku) means distribution channel. On Nico Nico Douga, an important part of Japanese anime culture, this expression is used by viewers to thank the distributor for broadcasting to them.

That’s all for this article! If you’ve come across any other expressions for ‘thank you’ in Japan, let us know in the comments section!

If you enjoyed this blog, make sure to check out:

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Thank you in Japanese || FAQs

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