How to say thanks in German.

German from a German for people interested in German.

The German language is multifaceted and expressive. It can be quite frustrating and confusing when learning another language. Thus, it is important to understand which words and phrases should be used to avoid awkward situations on your journey to learning German.

There are many ways in the German language to say thanks or thank you. The most common one is ‘danke’. In German, danke is used for formal language and will almost always be correct no matter the social setting. When in doubt use danke.

To express their deep gratitude, Germans will often use the expression ‘vielen Dank’. This literally means ‘many thanks’. Vielen Dank is usually used when the regular danke is not sufficient to express appreciation. It can be used in either formal or informal situations.

Now, the next word is kind of unique to the German language. ‘Dankeschön’ cannot be directly translated. Idiomatically, Dankeschön means ‘thank you kindly’ or ‘thank you very much’. Dankeschön is most commonly used in colloquial speech although it is sometimes used in formal situations.

Here are two ways to say thank you in German schools do not teach…

The German word for heart is ‘Herz’. When you want to associate your gratitude as coming from the heart, you can use the words ‘herzlichen Dank’. Think of it as ‘cordial thanks’ or ‘heartfelt thanks’.

Lastly, sometimes you will hear Germans say ‘Tausend Dank’. In German, tausend is a thousand. So, tausend Dank means a thousand thanks.

Ironically, Germans will use the expression ‘na, schönen Dank auch’ or ‘…, thank you very much’ when they want to express irony or dissatisfaction. Idiomatically, this means thanks for nothing. Please keep in mind that there are several other ways to say thanks, however, they are not commonly used and are often restricted to specific situations.

In my next blog, we will explore how to say you are welcome in German. Just like thank you, the German language offers a few ways to respond appropriately depending on the social setting.