38 ways to say thank you in English!
Hi everyone! Welcome to today’s blog. In this lesson we’re going to be looking at 38 ways to say thank you in English. This quick and easy vocabulary lesson is broken down for you into 5 different categories below. Let’s get started!
‘Thank you’ in 5 categories:
1.mini thank yous
2.big thank yous
3.negative thanks
4.body language thank you
5.Phew… thank you.
Mini Thank Yous
Did someone pick up a pen you dropped? Or did someone tell you they like your shirt? Did someone you don’t know open the door for you?
- thank you
The Classic. You can never be wrong by saying ‘thank you’.
- thanks
Short and sweet. Informal, but friendly.
- thanks again
Did you already say ‘thank you’? After a bit of conversation, you can say ‘thanks again’ to show your appreciation again.
- thanks a bunch
Did a colleague bring you a coffee from your favourite coffee shop?
- thanks for + noun/gerund
Thanks for your message. Thanks for telling me.
- cheers
Use it with friends, colleagues, and people you don’t know!
- cheers drive
In some parts of the UK, like Bristol, ‘cheers drive’, means ‘thank you bus driver’.
- ta!
- thx
Use ‘thx’ in informal written situations. (WhatsApp, Facebook etc.)
Big Thank Yous
Did a friend or partner do something really nice for you?
- Thanks a million
- You star.
Did someone do you a big favour? Perhaps a colleague helped you in a difficult situation at work?
- I owe you one.
- You’re a lifesaver.
- What would I do without you?
- Thank you very much.
- I can’t thank you enough.
Did someone buy you a very nice and expensive gift? Did a friend arrange a surprise birthday party for you?
- You shouldn’t have.
We use to this to show a bit of surprise and to say ‘thank you very much’!
Has someone put a lot of time and effort into helping you?
- Thank you ever so much.
- Thank you kindly.
- I’m eternally grateful (very formal and quite dramatic)
Did you win an Oscar at the Academy Awards? Have you been knighted by the Queen? Has your charity organisation been given a very generous donation?
- Please accept my deepest thanks for + noun phrase (this award, your generous donation…)
- My heartfelt thanks to + people you want to thank (everyone who has helped me, Amy Smith…)
Are you writing someone an email?
- Thank you in advance.
We can use this if we have asked a question and are waiting for an answer. It’s polite to thank someone before they respond.
Have you had an amazing meal in a restaurant? Do you want to thank the chef for his/her wonderful food?
- Compliments to the chef.
Say this to your waiter/waitress and they will pass on the message to the chef.
Negative Thanks
Sometimes, a person makes your life difficult. Did a person promise to help you, but they didn’t?
- Thanks for nothing.
- no thanks to + person = despite
You manage to do something even though someone else wasn’t helpful.
Sometimes a person offers to help you, but you don’t need any help.
- Thanks, but no thanks.
Only use this with friends and family. If you use it with someone you don’t know, they could find it quite rude.
- Nothing for me thanks.
This is usually said when we decline a food or drink offer.
Body Language
- You can wink.
- You can give someone a handshake.
- You can give someone a hug.
- You can give someone a kiss.
- You can blow someone a kiss.
- You can give someone a nod.
PHEW…thanks!
Did you find your lost passport? Did you receive some good news after you thought it would bad news?
- thank God
- thank heavens
- thank goodness
- thank your lucky stars
definition: you should be very grateful
