The standard polite “thank you” is ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu); casually, just ありがとう (arigatō). Use the past form ありがとうございました (gozaimashita) to thank for something already finished. To reply “you’re welcome,” say どういたしまして (dō itashimashite).
ありがとう is day-one vocabulary — but using only one form, and freezing when someone thanks you, marks you instantly as a beginner. A few well-chosen variations make you sound gracious and aware of the situation. Here’s the full toolkit, including the tense rule that textbooks rush past.
The Core Forms
| Japanese | Romaji | Politeness |
|---|---|---|
| ありがとう | arigatō | Casual (friends, family) |
| ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | Polite (default safe choice) |
| どうもありがとうございます | dōmo arigatō gozaimasu | Very polite / emphatic |
| どうも | dōmo | Quick, casual “thanks” |
The ございます vs ございました Rule
This is the detail that separates beginners from natural speakers. The tense of the ending matches the timing of the favour:
ありがとうございます — arigatō gozaimasu
For something ongoing or about to happen (e.g. when receiving help right now).
ありがとうございました — arigatō gozaimashita
For something already completed (e.g. after a meal, after a finished favour, leaving a shop).
Say ございました as you leave a restaurant or after someone has finished helping you; ございます while it’s still happening. Getting this right sounds remarkably polished.
Stronger & More Formal Thanks
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 本当にありがとう | hontō ni arigatō | Thank you so much |
| 感謝します | kansha shimasu | I’m grateful (formal) |
| お世話になりました | o-sewa ni narimashita | Thank you for your help/care |
| 恐縮です | kyōshuku desu | I’m much obliged (humble, formal) |
One surprise: すみません (sumimasen), usually “excuse me/sorry,” is also commonly used to mean “thank you” — a thanks tinged with “sorry to trouble you.” It’s extremely common when someone goes out of their way for you.
How to Reply: “You’re Welcome”
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| どういたしまして | dō itashimashite | You’re welcome (standard) |
| いえいえ | ie ie | No no / not at all (casual) |
| とんでもないです | tondemonai desu | Not at all (humble) |
| こちらこそ | kochira koso | Thank you (the pleasure’s mine) |
Make These Phrases Reflexive
The hard part isn’t the words — it’s producing the right one instantly, with correct politeness and tense, under social pressure. Kanjijo trains exactly that. Every phrase comes with native-style example sentences and furigana, exclusive mnemonics anchor the ございます/ございました distinction, and SRS resurfaces each one right before you’d forget it. Listening practice tunes your ear to how どうも and ありがとうございました actually sound, the OCR scanner turns thank-you notes and signs into study material, and home and lock screen widgets keep these phrases in view through the day. Politeness stops being a decision and becomes a reflex.
Sound Gracious in Japanese
Kanjijo turns ありがとう, ございました and どういたしまして into instant reflexes with example sentences, exclusive mnemonics, SRS, reading, listening, OCR scanning, widgets, and mock JLPT practice.
Download Kanjijo FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Yes, casually — どうも works as a quick “thanks.” It also means “hi” or intensifies どうもありがとう. For polite situations, use ありがとうございます.
Use ございました for a completed action — after a meal, after a finished favour, or leaving a shop. ございます is for ongoing or upcoming help.
すみません carries a sense of “sorry for the trouble,” so it doubles as a humble thank-you when someone goes out of their way for you.
It’s the textbook reply, but in casual speech natives often prefer いえいえ or とんでもないです. All are correct.