Expressing appreciation is important in any language, and English is no exception. Indeed, English offers a variety of ways to say thank you depending on the situation and your relationship with the person.
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Saying Thank You in English
From casual to formal situations, here are different ways to show thanks in English.
Common ways to say thank you
■ Thanks / Thank you
A: “I made some extra sandwiches for the picnic.”
B: “Thanks” / “Thank you!”
A: “Blue looks good on you”
B: “Thanks!”
■ Thanks / Thank you you very much!
A: “I picked up your dry cleaning on the way home.”
B: “Thank you very much!”
■ Thanks a lot!
A: “I bought a cake for you !”
B: “Thanks a lot!”
Be careful with the intonation of “Thanks a lot”. If you speak with a lower voice, “thanks a lot” can sound like you’re not happy at all and the “thanks” sounds sarcastic. Here’s an example.
A: “Sorry, but we forgot to buy a cake for you.”
B: “Oh, thanks a lot.”
■ Ta (British English, pronounced /tar/)
A: “Here’s your tea.”
B: “Ta!”
■ Ta very much
A: “I ordered you a cheesecake. Hope that’s OK.”
B: “Ta very much!”
■ Thanks ever so much (British English)
A: “I prepared the report you asked for.”
B: “Thanks ever so much!”
Note: “Thanks ever so much” is considered non-standard English, but you’ll hear it a lot in the UK.
■ Cheers! (British English, used both in speaking and in emails)
“Cheers!” (when someone holds the door open for you, for example)
More formal ways to say thank you
■ Thank you so much
“Thank you so much for attending the meeting tonight.” (spoken to a group of people)
“That’s really kind of you. Thank you so much!”
■ Much obliged (Often used when we’re expecting a particular “service” as part of normal behavior)
A: “I’ll take care of the report for you.”
B: “Much obliged.”
■ I appreciate it
“Thank you for your help. I greatly appreciate it.”
■ Thank you for your kind words
A: “You’re one of the best professors I’ve had!”
B: “Thank you for your kind words.”
How to say thank you to a friend
■ Great / Brilliant / Wonderful. Thanks!
“I got us tickets to the movie tonight.”
B: “Brilliant, thanks!”
■ Thanks – you’re a star!
A: “I brought your favorite cookies.”
B: “Thanks – you’re a star!”
■ Cheers!
A: “I’ll get this round in.” (i.e. at a pub)
B: “Cheers!”
■ Nice one! (typically British English)
A: “I booked a table for this afternoon.”
B: “Nice one!”
How to say thank you to a colleague at work
■ I owe you one! (Informal, meaning “I owe you a favor now”.)
A: “I covered for you in the meeting.”
B: “Thanks! I owe you one!”
■ I appreciate it
“Thanks for covering for me yesterday. I appreciate it!”
■ I’m very thankful to you for…
“I’m very thankful to you for helping me with the presentation. It made a huge difference.”
How to say thank you in a card
■ Thank you so much for …
“Thank you so much for your thoughtful gift. It was very generous of you.”
You can continue with:
“I was really touched by …”
… your kindness
… your thoughtfulness
… your help
… your support
■ I really appreciate it
“I was really touched by your kindness and support during a difficult time. I really appreciate it.”
How to say thank you for money
■ It’s really kind / generous of you
A: “I can lend you some cash if you need it.”
B: “Thank you! That’s really generous of you.”
How to say thank you for a present
When you write a thank you letter or card for a gift you’ve received, you should aim to write a few sentences. For example:
Thank you very much for the present / gift you sent me
Then give some more details, such as:
It’s absolutely beautiful.
It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time.
It’s just the right color / size, etc.
You can continue with:
It was very generous of you.
I’ll think of you every time I use it.
When you’re face to face you can say:
■ Oh you shouldn’t have!
A: “I got you this for your wedding.”
B: “Oh you shouldn’t have!”
How to say thank you for help / support / hospitality
■ Thank you so much for all your help
“Thank you so much for all your help during the move. It made everything much easier.”
■ I don’t know what I would have done without you
“You’ve really helped me out with the move. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
■ You don’t know how much it meant to me
“Thank you so much for your advice. You don’t know how much it meant to me.”
■ Thank you for all / everything you have done
“Thank you for everything you’ve done to help me through this project. You’ve made my life so much easier!”
■ Thanks for everything:
“Thanks for everything you did to make the party a success. It was a great time!”
■ Thanks for being there (for me):
“I just wanted to say thank you for all your support. Thanks for being there for me when I needed it!”
■ I’m really / very grateful:
“I’m really grateful to you for all your guidance in the last few weeks.”
How to say thank you to a group
■ Thank you everybody
“Thank you everybody for your hard work on the project. It’s been a great team effort!”
■ Thanks everyone:
“Thanks everyone for your contributions to the charity event. It was a huge success!”
■ I’d like to thank you all:
“I’d like to thank you all for your dedication and hard work. The results speak for themselves.”
How to say thank you to a client
■ Thank you for taking the time…
“Thank you for taking the time to review our proposal.”
■ Thank you for your (continued) support
“Thank you for your continued support in our business endeavors.”
■ I greatly appreciate
“I greatly appreciate your business and the opportunity to work with you.”
■ We are very grateful to you:
“We are very grateful to you for choosing our services. Thank you for your trust in us.”
In emails
■ Many thanks for
“Many thanks for your prompt response to my inquiry.”
■ Just wanted to say thanks
“Just wanted to say thanks for your assistance in resolving the issue.”
■ I can’t thank you enough for…:
“I can’t thank you enough for your referral. It has been a great help.”
Conclusion
Whether you’re thanking a friend, colleague, or showing appreciation in a more formal setting, use the right words to say thank you. So, next time someone does something for you, don’t forget to express your appreciation in a way that best fits the context.
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