🇯🇵 Japanese phrases

How to Say "Thank you" in Japanese

The SPAIKING TeamJuly 27, 2026
ありがとう
"Thank you" in Japanese · say it like ah-ree-gah-toh

The most natural way to say "Thank you" in Japanese is ありがとう. Tap the speaker above to hear it, then say it back out loud. That is the fastest way to make it stick.

Other ways to say it

ありがとうございます
more formal, used in polite situations
どうも
casual, often used among friends

When to use it

You can use ありがとう in everyday situations to express gratitude. It's appropriate for casual conversations. For more formal situations, use ありがとうございます instead.

Say it out loud, get corrected

Reading it is not the same as saying it. Practice "Thank you" and thousands more with an AI coach that listens.

Examples in Japanese

JapaneseEnglish
手伝ってくれてありがとう。Thank you for helping me.
プレゼントをありがとう。Thank you for the gift.
Common mistake
Some learners forget to use the correct level of politeness in different contexts.

The fastest way to remember it

Vocabulary you only read fades fast. Vocabulary you say out loud sticks. Hear ありがとう, repeat it a few times, then use it in a real sentence. SPAIKING lets you practice exactly that, speaking Japanese with a coach that corrects your pronunciation in real time. You can start with two free conversations.

Frequently asked questions

When should I use ありがとうございます instead of ありがとう?

Use ありがとうございます in formal situations or when speaking to someone older or of higher status.

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