Japanese · Greetings & Phrases
ありがとうございます
arigatou gozaimasu
Thank you
Beginnerphrase
Definition
The polite expression of gratitude. The casual form is ありがとう (arigatou).
Example
ご親切にありがとうございます。
Thank you for your kindness.
Etymology
'ありがとうございます' (arigatou gozaimasu) stems from '有り難う' (arigatou), a compound of '有り' (ari, 'to exist') and '難い' (nitai, 'difficult or rare'), evolving into a polite expression of gratitude.
How & Where It’s Used
'ありがとうございます' is a formal expression often used in both spoken and written Japanese to show deep gratitude and respect. Informally, 'ありがとう' (arigatou) is more common.