How to say “Thank You” in Japanese

If you ever heard the Styx’s song Mr. Roboto you probably already know how to say thank you in Japanese, but here’s a few extra tips that will impress the next time you’re out for sushi.

Extra polite

Arigato is a very simple ‘thank you’ but it’s rather informal. If you want to be extra polite you should use Arigato Gozaimasu (ah-ree-gah-toh go-za-ee-mas). Think if it as a ‘thank you very much’.

Past tense

If you want to say thank you for something that a person has done for you – such as after a meal – you only have to change the Gozaimasu to it’s past tense form of Gozaimashita, making it Arigato Gozaimashita (ah-ree-gah-toh go-za-ee-ma-shi-ta).

If you want to take a listen to how it sounds, check out some everyday phrases here. The audio is in Real Player (ick!), but if you want a Real Player alternative I recommend the appropriately named Real Alternative.

And there you have it! Simple, eh?

Reprinted from Green Tea Design