How Do You Say Thank You in German?

Guten Tag, German language enthusiasts! Have you ever found yourself in a situation where a warm and heartfelt "thank you" is all you want to convey, but you're unsure how to say it in German? Fear not, because we're embarking on a linguistic journey to explore just that. The German language, known for its precision and rich cultural heritage, offers a multitude of ways to express gratitude. So, if you're wondering, "How do you say thank you in German?" – you're in the right place! Here, we’ll dive into the many ways of expressing appreciation in this beautiful language, and who knows, you might just discover a new favorite way to say "Danke" with a genuine German flair.

How Do You Say Thanks in German?

There are several ways to say thanks in German, but not many people know their options aside from “Danke”. So, if you’ve ever been in a situation where you pause and ask yourself, “How do I say thank you in German?” here are 14 options for you to consider:

1. Danke — Thanks!

This is the most common and straightforward way to say thank you in German. It's the equivalent of the English "thanks" and is suitable for most everyday situations. It’s not very formal, per se, but it’s acceptable regardless of who you’re talking to.

2. Danke schön — Thank you very much

When you want a slightly more polite way to say thank you in German, formal options like Danke shön are great. It’s just the elongated version of Danke and is better to use if you want to show gratitude for someone who has just done something nice for you. Technically speaking, Danke shön is a complete sentence, so that’s all you need to say.

3. Danke sehr — Thank you very much

Another option to say “thank you very much” is Danke sehr. It can be used in both formal and informal settings, but it’s a little more polite than saying Danke schön. Sehr translates to “very,” so use this whenever you want to emphasize your thanks.

4. Danke, gleichfalls — Thank you, you too

There are some instances where it’s good to return the kindness of a nice thank you, such as when someone wishes you a good day or a nice weekend. In these situations, you can say Danke, gleichfalls, which means “thank you, you too.”

5. Danke, sehr aufmerksam — Thank you, that’s very kind of you

When someone does something for you that deserves a little more than a simple “thanks,” you can use this German phrase. It’s a way to say, “thank you, that’s very kind of you,” and is great when you want someone to know how much their actions mean to you. Alternatively, you can simply say “sehr aufmerksam” if you want to tell someone that what they did was kind.

6. Vielen Dank — Many thanks

This way to say thank you in German is similar to Danke schön. It’s considered a little more heartfelt and carries a deeper show of gratitude. Vielen Dank is one of the more common ways of saying thank you, so try using it next time instead of Danke.

7. Vielen Dank im Voraus — Thank you in advance

Sometimes, you may ask someone to do something for you and want to give them thanks in advance. For these situations, you can use Vielen Dank im Voraus. It’s usually only used when you’re writing, such as when you write an email in German.

8. Herzlichen Dank — Thank you kindly

When you want to add a little flair to your thank you, use this phrase. Herz in German means heart, so this is a great way to basically say thank you from the heart. It can also be used to say “thank you kindly.” In writing, you might find that they even replace the “Herz” with a heart emoticon!

9. Besten Dank — Thank you very much

If you want to show your thanks without being too heartfelt or loving, you can use Besten Dank. This is a way to say “thank you very much” that falls somewhere in between Vielen Dank and Herzlichen Dank.

10. Tausend Dank — A thousand thanks

Did someone do something so nice that you want to thank them over and over and over again? Give them a thousand thanks with this phrase! Integrating German numbers into your thanks is a great way to add extra emphasis. It’s kind of the English equivalent to “thanks a million” and is commonly used among friends and close acquaintances.

11. Ich bedanke mich — I give you my thanks

Although it sounds a bit odd in English, it’s still an acceptable way to say thank you in German! It’s a bit formal and often requires a little direction to ensure you’re thanking the right person but don’t be afraid to practice using it in various situations.

12. Ich möchte mich recht herzlich bedanken — I would like to sincerely thank you

Another more formal way to say thanks in German is with this phrase. It’s great for use in a professional setting or when you aren’t quite sure who the person is that helped you. It includes a heartfelt thanks and directly translates to, “I would like to sincerely thank you.”

13. Ich kann dir gar nicht genug danken — I cannot thank you enough

Want to express how much it meant that someone did something for you? This great term means, “I cannot thank you enough.” It’s perfect for situations where someone went out of their way to help you and profoundly impacted your life. For example, if someone helps you get an apartment or a job interview or introduces you to someone who allowed you to further your career, use this phrase.

Combining Thank You and You’re Welcome in German

If someone thanks you, it’s polite to respond with a sentimental “you’re welcome.” So, if you want to understand how to say thank you and you’re welcome in German, there are a couple of options. Don’t forget to practice saying thank you, and you’re welcome in German by downloading Tandem and matching with a native speaker. In the meantime, the following are a few of the most common ways to respond to thank you in German.

Bitte — You’re welcome

Bitte is a way to say “you’re welcome” that’s basically equivalent to Danke. It’s often the most common response and can be used to respond to any of the ways to say thank you in the German listed above. Bitte also means please, so don’t be confused if you hear it in both settings!

Bitte schön — You’re very welcome

If you want to add a little more emphasis when saying you’re welcome, add a schön to the end. Bitte schön is how you would say “you’re very welcome” and can be used when you want to be a little more polite.

Bitte sehr — You’re welcome

This is similar to saying Bitte schön, just with a little variation. If someone says Danke sehr, reply with Bitte sehr to match their energy.

Kein Problem — No problem

If you want someone to know that it really didn’t take so much effort to help them and that you were happy to do it, you can respond with Kein Problem, which means “no problem.”

Jederzeit — Anytime

For a more casual response to thank you in German, you can say Jederzeit, which means “anytime.” It basically shows the person thanking you that you’d be happy to do it again for them or help them when needed.

I bet you didn’t realize there were so many ways to thank you in German! Like German greetings, the time and place for each phrase depends on your mood or the situation at hand, but don’t be afraid to have some fun with it. To help you practice speaking like a native, download Tandem today. Tandem offers a unique language learning experience that will help you deepen your understanding and improve your German numbers while learning to apply them in real conversations. All you need to do is download the app, sign up, and find a native speaker of your target language. Once you match, you’ll begin communicating through language exchange and one-on-one teaching. To join our worldwide community, sign up for Tandem today!