There are lots of ways to express gratitude. But still, the simplest, yet most effective, remains just SAYING THANK YOU.

The phrase “thank you” is one of the most popular phrases around the world. January is famous about being the (Inter)National Thank-You-Month. So it’s a special time to thank now.

When traveling somewhere, I always prepare myself with the common words and phrases in order to interact with the locals more easily – by using their own language. Well, it’s true that English is considered to be one of the world languages – one of those languages spoken internationally and which are learned by many people as a second language.  Over 1.8 billion users worldwide speak it – which makes it the world’s most widely used language.

BUT when traveling abroad in a non-English speaking country, learning the local most common words and phrases (such as thank you, goodbye, please, welcome, hello, goodbye, etc.) shows respect and befriending a stranger.

I’ll add that achieving a basic knowledge (and understanding) of a foreign language is freedom, is cool, is helpful (to yourself) and funny too (the locals are always having fun with your specific pronunciation or strong accent, I bet! ).

So … How To Say Thank You in Different Languages?

Here’s how to say thank you in 51 languages – find the one that you need, learn it ( AND REMEMBER IT). Will you find your language?

AFRIKAANS – dankie
ALBANIAN – faleminderit
ARABIC – shukran
ARMENIAN – Շնորհակալություն / chnorakaloutioun
BOSNIAN – hvala (HVAH-lah)
BULGARIAN – благодаря / blagodaria
CATALAN – gràcies (GRAH-syuhs)
CANTONESE – M̀h’gōi
CROATIAN – hvala (HVAH-lah)
CZECH – děkuji (Dyekooyih)
DANISH – tak (tahg)
DUTCH – dank u
ESTONIAN – tänan (TA-nahn)
FINNISH – kiitos (KEE-tohss)
FRENCH – merci
GERMAN – danke
GREEK – ευχαριστώ (ef-hah-rees-TOH)
HAWAIIAN – mahalo (ma-HA-lo)
HEBREW – .תודה  / todah (toh-DAH)
HINDI – dhanyavād / shukriya
HUNGARIAN – köszönöm (KØ-sø-nøm)
ICELANDIC – takk (tahk)
INDONESIAN – terima kasih. (tuh-REE-mah KAH-see)
ITALIAN – grazie (GRAHT-tsyeh)

JAPANESE – arigatô (ah-ree-GAH-toh)
KOREAN – 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida)
LATVIAN – paldies (PUHL-dyehs)
LEBANESE – choukrane
LITHUANIAN – ačiū (AH-choo)
MACEDONIAN – Благодарам / blagodaram (blah-GOH-dah-rahm)
MALAY – terima kasih (TREE-muh KAH-seh)
MALTESE – grazzi (GRUTS-ee)
MANDARIN – Xièxiè
MONGOLIAN – Баярлалаа (bayarlalaa)
NORWEGIAN – takk
POLISH – dziękuję (Jenkoo-yen)
PORTUGUESE – obrigado [masculine]  / obrigada [feminine] (oh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah)
ROMANIAN – mulţumesc (mool-tzoo-MESK)
RUSSIAN – спасибо (spuh-SEE-buh)
SERBIAN – xвала / hvala (HVAH-lah)
SLOVAK – Ďakujem (JAH-koo-yehm)
SLOVENIAN – hvala (HVAA-lah)
SPANISH – gracias (GRAH-syahs)
SWEDISH – tack
TAMIL – nandri
THAI – kop khun
TURKISH – teşekkür ederim (teh shek uer eh der eem)
UKRAINIAN – Дякую (DYAH-koo-yoo)
WELSH – diolch (DEE-ol’ch)
YIDDISH – a dank
VIETNAMESE-Cám ơn (Gahm uhn)

Not All

There are a lot more languages, I know. There are a lot more slangs and local thank-you phrases, I know. No Worries, Easy As, Cheers, Give big-ups – they all mean “thank you”.And you probably might add some more by commenting on this article! We’ll love it!

Learning Thank you in a different language is on the things appropriate to be done this January – in the international Thank-you month. See what other things to do in this coming 2 weeks ahead.

Saying thank you in different languages definitely could be hard – watch this video and hear the phrase “thank you” in 31 languages.

Where are you heading to?

Good luck!

Don’t forget to PIN this post for later.

Also feel free to follow my Thank You Gifts Pinterest board for extra inspiration.