Want to learn how to say thank you in French? Thank you is one of the most important phrases in any language.
In French, there are several expressions of gratitude that you can use depending on the situation.
In this article, we will discuss 7 different ways to say thank you in French.
We will start with the standard way of saying thank you, merci, and then move on to more informal expressions of gratitude. Let’s get started!
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What Exactly Does Merci Mean?
Before we dive into the different ways to say thank you in French, let’s take a closer look at the standard way of saying thank you, merci.
Merci is the most common way to say thank you in French. It can be used in both formal and informal situations.
When to Use Merci?
Now that we know what merci means, let’s take a look at when we can use it.
As we mentioned before, merci is a versatile word that can be used in both formal and informal situations.
If you are writing a thank you note to your French teacher, for example, you would want to use a more formal expression of gratitude such as je vous remercie.
On the other hand, if you are simply saying thank you to a friend for holding the door open for you, merci would be perfectly appropriate.
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Here are a few more examples of when you can use merci:
-To say thank you for a gift
-To express gratitude for someone’s help
-When someone does something nice for you
-To say thank you for an invitation
-To show appreciation for a favor
Keep in mind that merci is also used as a response when someone apologizes.
For example, if your friend bumps into you and says excusez-moi, you can reply with merci.
Informal Ways to Say Thank You in French
Now that we’ve covered the standard way of saying thank you in French, let’s move on to some more informal expressions of gratitude.
Here are a few examples of informal ways to say thank you in French:
-Thanks! = Merci !
-Thank you very much! = Merci beaucoup !
-Thanks a lot! = Merci beaucoup !
-Thank you so much! = Merci beaucoup !
-I really appreciate it. = Je l’apprécie vraiment.
-That was really nice of you. = C’était vraiment gentil de ta part.
-You’re the best! = Tu es le meilleur !
Formal Ways to Say Thank You in French
In addition to the standard merci, there are also several more formal ways to say thank you in French.
Here are a few examples of formal ways to say thank you in French:
-Thank you very much. = Je vous remercie beaucoup.
-Thank you so much. = Je vous remercie tellement.
-I really appreciate it. = Je l’apprécie vraiment.
-That was really nice of you. = C’était vraiment gentil de votre part.
-Thank you for your help. = Je vous remercie pour votre aide.
-Thank you for your hospitality. = Je vous remercie pour votre hospitalité.
-Thank you for your time. = Je vous remercie pour votre temps.
-Thank you for your patience. = Je vous remercie pour votre patience.
When to Use a Formal Expression of Gratitude
So when should you use a formal expression of gratitude?
Formal expressions of gratitude are typically used in business settings or when you are thanking someone for a favor.
For example, if you are writing a thank you note to your French tutor, you would want to use a formal expression of gratitude such as je vous remercie beaucoup.
On the other hand, if you are simply saying thank you to a friend for holding the door open for you, a more informal expression such as merci would be perfectly appropriate.
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7 Common Ways to Say Thank You in French
Now that we’ve gone over the standard way of saying thank you in French, as well as some more formal and informal expressions of gratitude, let’s take a look at seven common ways to say thank you in French.
1. Merci (mekh*-see)
Merci is the most common way to say thank you in French. It can be used in both formal and informal situations.
The response you may hear is de rien (deh ree-ehn), which translates to “you’re welcome.”
Here is an example of how you would use merci in a sentence:
Je vous remercie beaucoup pour votre aide. (zhuh voo ray-mehr-see boh-koo poor voo-trehd ay-deh)
Thank you very much for your help.
Here is another example of how you would use merci in a sentence:
Merci d’être venu me voir. (mekh-see deh-treh vehn-yoo may vwahr)
Thank you for coming to see me.
As you can see, merci can be used in a variety of situations.
2. Merci infiniment (mekh-see an-fee-nee-man)
You can use merci infiniment to say “thank you very much.” This expression is a little more formal than simply saying merci.
Here is an example of how you would use merci infiniment in a sentence:
Je vous remercie infiniment pour votre aide. (zhuh voo ray-mehr-see an-fee-nee-man poor voo-trehd ay-deh)
Thank you very much for your help.
As you can see, merci infiniment can be used in a similar way to merci.
However, it is important to note that merci infiniment is a little more formal and should only be used in certain situations.
3. C’est très gentil à toi/vous (seh tkheh jan-tee a twa/voo)
In more formal settings, you can say c’est très gentil à toi/vous. This expression translates to “that was very kind of you.”
Here is an example of how you would use c’est très gentil à toi in a sentence:
C’est très gentil à toi d’être venu me voir. (seh tkheh jan-tee a twa deh-treh vehn-yoo may vwahr)
That was very kind of you to come see me.
And here is an example of how you would use c’est très gentil à vous in a sentence:
C’est très gentil à vous de m’aider. (seh tkheh jan-tee a voo deh may-day)
That was very kind of you to help me.
As you can see, c’est très gentil à toi/vous is a great way to say “thank you” in a more formal setting.
4. Merci beaucoup (mekh-see boh-koo)
You can use merci beaucoup to say “thank you very much.” This expression is a little more formal than simply saying merci.
Here is an example of how you would use merci beaucoup in a sentence:
Je vous remercie beaucoup pour votre aide. (zhuh voo ray-mehr-see boh-koo poor voo-trehd ay-deh)
Thank you very much for your help.
As you can see, merci beaucoup can be used in a similar way to merci.
However, it is important to note that merci beaucoup is a little more formal and should only be used in certain situations.
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5. Merci de tout coeur (mekh-see dah tu ker)
If you want to say “thank you from the bottom of my heart,” you can use merci de tout coeur. This expression is very heartfelt and should only be used in certain situations.
Here is an example of how you would use merci de tout coeur in a sentence:
Merci de tout coeur pour ton aide. (mekh-see dah tu ker poor tawn ah-deh)
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help.
As you can see, merci de tout coeur is a great way to say “thank you” from the bottom of your heart.
6.Timer (see-mekh)
Spice up your thank you by saying cimer. This expression is used informally with people you know well, such as friends and family. You can also use it when someone does you a big favor.
Here are some example sentences using cimer:
– Merci beaucoup pour ton aide. Je te remercie vraiment. (Thank you very much for your help. I really appreciate it.)
– Je te remercie d’être venu me chercher à l’aéroport. (Thank you for coming to pick me up from the airport.)
– Je ne sais pas comment te remercier pour ce que tu as fait. (I don’t know how to thank you for what you did.)
7. Je te dois une fière chandelle (zhuh tay dwah ewn fee-air shawn-dehl)
This expression translates to “I owe you one.” You can use this expression informally with people you know well, such as friends and family.
Here is an example of how you would use je te dois une fière chandelle in a sentence:
Je te dois une fière chandelle pour ton aide. (zhuh tay dwah ewn fee-air shawn-dehl poor tawn ah-deh)
I owe you one for your help.
As you can see, je te dois une fière chandelle is a great way to say “thank you” informally.
Conclusion
There are many different ways to say “thank you” in French, depending on the situation.
The standard way of saying “thank you” in French is merci. However, there are other expressions that you can use to express gratitude in French, depending on the type of situation: formal or informal.
FAQ About Saying Thank You in French
Here are some frequently asked questions about saying “thank you” in French:
What is the standard way of saying “thank you” in French?
The standard way of saying “thank you” in French is merci.
What are some other ways to say “thank you” in French?
Some other ways to say “thank you” in French are c’est très gentil à vous, merci beaucoup, and merci de tout coeur.
Can I use the expression je te dois une fière chandelle with anyone?
No, je te dois une fière chandelle should only be used informally with people you know well, such as friends and family.
What is not a good way to say “thank you” in French?
One expression that is not a good way to say “thank you” in French is je t’en dois une. This expression is incorrect and should not be used.
If you want to say “thank you” in French, there are many different expressions that you can use, depending on the situation. The standard way of saying “thank you” in French is merci.
When is it appropriate to use merci beaucoup?
Merci beaucoup can be used in a similar way to merci. However, it is important to note that merci beaucoup is a little more formal and should only be used in certain situations.
What does merci de tout coeur mean?
If you want to say “thank you from the bottom of my heart,” you can use merci de tout coeur. This expression is very heartfelt and should only be used in certain situations.
How do I say “I owe you one” in French?
If you want to say “I owe you one,” you can use je te dois une fière chandelle.
This expression is used informally with people you know well, such as friends and family. You can also use it when someone does you a big favor.