How to say thank you & you’re welcome in Japanese in 59 ways

The Japanese word for thank you is 'arigato' — isn't it enough to know?

I'm here to write a 1K+ word article on this topic. So yes, there's A LOT you can learn about Japanese expressions of appreciation! You'll discover context-appropriate phrases and the mentality and culture behind them. Interested? (I choose to assume you are.) Cool!

Table of contents

• What does ‘arigato’ really mean?
• How to say thank you in Japanese
  • The basics
  • In formal circumstances
  • Thank you, but no thank you
  • Appreciate without saying arigatō
• Cultural considerations
  • Why apologize?
  • What about the gesture?
• You’re welcome in Japanese
• Japanese thank you songs
• Yonde kurete arigatō!

Anatomy of ‘arigato’

The word ありがとう (arigatō) is derived from the old adjective '有り難し' (arigatashi). It means 'rare', therefore 'valuable'. Its adverb form '有り難く' (arigataku) became '有り難う' (arigatō), which is used to this day.

If you've heard the theory that 'ありがとう' came from 'obligado', the Portuguese word for 'thank you', it's nothing but a myth.100%.

In this article, you'll see a couple of ways 'ありがとう' is written in English alphabets. Before it confuses you, I'll clarify the difference.

Arigatō: The bar on the 'o' means an elongated sound. I spell this way in this blog as it represents the natural pronunciation.

Arigato: It's probably the most commonly seen spelling. If you don't elongate the last 'o', it might sound casual, blunt, or cute, depending on how you say it.

Arigatou: A lot of people also spell like this as it corresponds with each hiragana (あ-a, り-ri, が-ga, と-to, う-u). The 'ou' at the end doesn't really represent the correct pronunciation, but there's no problem writing this way as long as you know the right way to pronounce it.

How to say thank you in Japanese

Just as 'Thank you' is not the only expression of appreciation in English, there are many ways to convey gratitude in Japanese. Ranging from casual phrases to formal ones, situation-specific ones, and even 'thank you in disguise'.

The basics

Let's start with arigatō and its variations.

In formal circumstances

It's time for Business Japanese — in case you read above as 'Informal'. Use these phrases only towards people with higher status than you. (Not a fan of hierarchy? Me neither. *fist bump of solidarity*)

Thank you, but no thank you

Note: these phrases are often paired with a thank-you expression.

Appreciate without saying arigatō

Japanese has a wide range of ways to express appreciation. Some are specific to certain situations, and some may not sound grateful. Welcome to the rich and bewildering world of the Japanese style of gratitude.

Cultural considerations

"Hey, I thought this blog post was about how to say thank you in Japanese. Why are there phrases for ‘I'm sorry’?"

I love you for spotting that.

We're now looking into the unique mentality behind it and then the body language.

Why apologize?

Let's take 'すみません' (sumimasen). Essentially, it's a word for an apology. But outside the private setting, you may hear it more often than 'ありがとう' when you expect appreciation. As you saw above, there are more thank-you expressions in the form of apology. In fact, some Japanese native speakers may say "I'm sorry" in English when they actually mean "Thank you". What do they apologize for?

There's a sense of obligation or guilt behind it. "I was supposed to do it myself." "You had to make an effort for me." "Your kind offer is too good for me." We were taught to be self-sufficient and not to bother others. The majority of the Japanese people have a particularly strong sense of it. (Ever wondered why they're famous for being polite?) That's the reason the Japanese use expressions of apology to show gratitude.

Personally, I prefer using straightforward expressions of gratitude in any language. Suppose words hold temperature, 'thank you' or 'ありがとう' would be warmer than 'I'm sorry' or 'すみません' — don't you think?

What about the gesture?

I've seen many times my non-Japanese pals say, "ありがとうございます！" while bowing. It's okay as long as it's not directed towards me or their other friends.

Bowing is a polite gesture —check my 'How to say farewell & goodbye in Japanese in 35 authentic ways' article for more explanation— and an appropriate way to show your gratitude with courtesy and respect.

Another thing I've seen is people saying "ありがとうございます！" while bowing with their palms put together in front of their chest. (They might’ve got it from some martial arts ritual.) I had to give it a good think on this.

This gesture called 合掌 (がっしょう - gasshō) comes from Buddhism and is used for greeting in other countries — but not commonly so in Japan. There are occasions the Japanese still do 合掌 today, such as when we request ("Pretty please!"), apologize, or before and after meals.

For 'no, thank you', people often quickly or subtly wave their hand(s) in front of their chest. And/Or they may shake their head, too.

I highly recommend smiling when you say thank you. It helps convey your gratitude more effectively. It possibly brightens someone's day.

You’re welcome in Japanese

I would say the Japanese are generally not well-trained when it comes to receiving compliments, praise, or appreciation. (I was trained outside the country. Send some my way!) So, how do they respond to gratitude? Here are some examples.

'どういたしまして' (dō itashimashite) is one of the textbook answers that native speakers don't use much. Basically, it means 'I've done nothing, please never mind.' While this phrase is still appropriate to use in response to "Thank you", it should NOT be used when addressing someone with a higher status than you.

Other than that, Japanese people might just smile, nod, or shake their heads at the words of gratitude. Or they may use a variation of 'yes' or 'no' for 'you're welcome'. Some Japanese guy friends of mine say ‘おう’ (ou) which means 'yes'. My late maternal grandparents would scrunch their faces, shake their heads, and make sounds that most likely represented 'no'. (I miss them all dearly.)

Japanese thank you songs

One thing I noticed while checking out some thank you songs; there are countless of them with lyrics like “I couldn’t say [thank you] for a long time” or “I feel a bit embarrassed to say [thank you]”. Those songs are addressed to people close to the protagonists, and yes, the Japanese people seem to feel awkward to say serious thank you in private relationships. (I don't remember if/when my dad properly said thank you to me... *gasp*)

Hint: to find the song lyrics, type in the original song title, artist name, and '歌詞' (kashi - lyrics) in the search box.

• ありがとうの輪 (Arigatō no wa) by 絢香 (Ayaka)
  Thank you, mother. Thank you, friend. Music is indeed a great way to send a message to your loved ones.
• どーもありがとう (Dōmo arigatō) by 槇原 敬之 (Noriyuki Makihara)
  Have you felt a torrent of gratitude realizing how much you owe someone for who you are today?
• ただ、ありがとう (Tada, Arigatō) by MONKEY MAJIK
  A love song written and performed by the Canadian-Japanese hybrid band based in northern Japan. (The Canadian brothers take the vocals and sing in Japanese.)

Yonde kurete arigatō!

I truly hope you'll have countless opportunities to say thank you (very much) in Japanese. Because it'd mean you're supported, cared for, and blessed. At this point, I have no clue what you're thinking or feeling about this article. Still, I'm grateful that you took the time to read all the way down to the bottom. この記事を読んでくれて、ありがとう！(Kono kiji o yonde kurete arigatō! - Thank you for reading this article!)