Whenever Bob and I travel to a non-English speaking city, we try to interact with locals using their language (even if we butcher it sometimes). The effort seems to go a long way in showing respect and befriending a stranger. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve ekk’ed out merci or gracias and been given a helpful smile (or directions and advice) from a local. Committing to a basic understanding of a foreign language is a great, FREE, travel tool to have up your sleeve.
How-To Say Thank You in 14 Different Languages:
English– Thank you, Thanks
Spanish – Gracias
French – Merci
(Thank you very much= Merci Beaucoup)
Italian – Grazie
Japanese – (Domo) Arigato (ah-ree-gah’-toh)
or written ありがとう
Chinese – do jeh, daw-dyeh
German – Danke
Thank You Very Much – Danke Schön
Thai – Khop Khun Mak Kha
Russian – Spasiba (spah-see’-boh)
Korean – 감사합니다 -or- gamsahabnida
Norwegian – Takk
Hawaiian – Mahalo
Hebrew – Toda (toh-dah’)
Greek – Efharisto (ef-har-ris-tou’)
Is there a special way to say thank you where you are from? When we were in Australia, everyone would say No Worries or Easy As whenever we would thank them. In my hometown of St. Augustine, you are likely to hear a few, Thanks, y’all, coming from the locals. Have any favorites that should be added to the list? Let us know in the comments below!
