How do you say thank you in French? How do you show gratitude to people around you? Learning how to say thank you will help you develop a good relationship and make people feel positive about you.
The phrase to say thank you in French is Merci. This word is short, simple, and used almost by everyone, and everywhere. This phrase can be used in Quebec too since there are many French-speaking people in the region.
As Merci may not be enough or proper to show your gratitude in some situations. This article will discuss other ways to express your appreciation, to whom you can use the phrases, and how you should respond.
Before we go into it, you might want to check tips to learn French, which will help you in understanding the language easily.
Basic Way to Say Thank You in French
Merci is the most common way to say ‘thank you’ in the French community. You would always hear this phrase from almost all channels of communication. You can use this word to say thank you informally to your friends, family, or colleagues at school or the workplace.
Merci, although used everywhere, is not really preferred in a formal setting. Thus, there are other ways to say thank you or show your appreciation in different settings or gatherings.
Example: Merci, mon ami
Translation: Thank you, my friend
Thank you in French & 10 Other Phrases to Show Appreciation
1. Merci Beaucoup – Thank you very much
/mɛʁ.si bo.ku/
If you are so gratefully happy and you feel like emphasizing your gratitude towards someone and you think saying merci alone won’t be enough to show how grateful you are, you can say Merci beaucoup, which means ‘thank you very much’. In the French language, the word beaucoup means ‘a lot’ and by saying so, you will sound more genuine, and engaging than just saying merci.
This word can be used in both formal and informal discussions as it also shows that you respect the person and you are so grateful for what they have done for you. You can reply to this phrase by saying De rien (You are welcome), if it’s an informal engagement, or Je vous en prie (You are welcome), in a formal setting.
Example: J’ai eu le poste, merci beaucoup
Translation: I got the job, thank you very much
2. Un immense merci – Thank you so much
/ʊŋ ɪˈmens mɛʁ.si/
How can you say thank you so much in French? Just like the expression Merci beaucoup, this phrase can also be used to show overwhelming gratitude for what someone has done for you and it can also be used in both formal and informal conversations, wth friends, family, boss, mentor, or even a stranger. Also, a response such as De rien (informal), or Je vous en prie (formal) is okay for this expressions.
Example: Elle va mieux maintenant, un immense merci docteur
Translation: She is feeling better now, thank you so much doctor
3. Je vous remercie – Thank you
/Zhe voo ruh-mur-see/
Do you want to show your appreciation in form of writing in a formal way? Je vous remercie is the right word. This expression is often used in writing such as letters or articles, and as such it’s not an informal term to say thank you. This phrase is best used in business meetings, conferences, or with your strict boss. The right response to this expression is Je vous en prie since it is only for formal purposes. Other similar phrase to use in this situation is Je te remercie
Example: Je vous remercie pour votre attention
Translation: I thank you for your attention
4. Merci mille fois – Thanks a million
/mɛʁ.si mil fwa/
Merci mille fois is another phrase you can use to show a huge appreciation to people. This expression can be used both for informal and formal purposes, so you are free to use it anywhere and in any conversation. Suitable responses to this phrase include De rien (informal), or Je vous en prie (formal) is okay for this expression. Other similar phrase to use in this situation is Merci infiniment.
Example: J’ai reçu l’e-mail, merci mille fois
Translation: I have gotten the email, thanks a million
5. Merci pour tout – Thank you for everything
/mɛʁ.si poor tu/
Is there someone that has stayed with you during the time of challenges and tribulation? Or they have supported you on a long career journey. This is the best appreciation expression to use for them. Merci pour tout can be used formally or to your spouse, friends, family, or anyone, and a response such as Ne vous en faites pas (don’t worry about it), De rien or Je vous en prie is okay depending on whom you are conversing with.
Example: J’apprécie votre soutien dans ma carrière, merci pour tout
Translation: I appreciate your support in my career, thank you for everything
6. C’est très gentil à toi/vous – That’s very kind of you
C’est très gentil à toi/vous is a kind of expression you would say to your grandparents or aunt and uncle when they give you presents for the holidays. You will also use it when your boss gives you a raise, a business partner agrees to something, or a classmate offers to help with your homework. toi is used to refer to a singular person or in an informal manner, while vous is used in the plural form or for formal purposes. A typical response to this expression is ne vous en faites pas.
Example: Je ne savais pas que tu avais acheté le sac pour moi, c’est très gentil à toi
Translation: I never knew you bought the bag for me, that’s very kind of you
Example: J’ai entendu dire que vous avez aidé mes enfants monsieur, c’est très gentil à vous
Translation: I heard you recommended me for the project sir, that’s very kind of you
7. Merci de tout coeur – Thank you with all my heart
/mekh-see dah tu ker/
Another way to say thank you and extend your gratitude in French is by using the expression merci de tout coeur, which means thank you with all my heart. This phrase is often used informally for our friends and family, although can also be used in a formal context. Again, ne vous en faites pas is a good response for this expression. Other similar phrase to use in this situation is Merci du fond du coeur (thank you from the bottom of my heart).
Example: J’ai eu le poste, merci beaucoup
Translation: I got the job, thank you very much
8. Merci D’avance – Thank You In Advance
/Mair-see dah-vahns/
In spoken French, if you would like to thank people in advance, you can use merci d’avance, which translates to thank you in advance. This phrase can be used in all informal contexts. For formal situations, it would be much better for you to say merci par avance instead. It’s a more standard version of thanks in advance.
Example: S’il vous plaît aidez-moi à récupérer les livres, merci d’avance
Translation: Please help me get the books back, thanks in advance
9. Merci, mon ami/e – Thank you, my friend
Are you looking for a way to specifically thank your friend for something good they have done for you. The expression Merci, mon ami/ame is the best in that case. ami should be used if your friend is a male, while amie should be used for a female friend. This phrase is informal and a good response would be de rien or if you just want to say something more, then you can respond with Je vous en prie.
Example: Merci mon ami je t’aime
Translation: Thank you my friend I love you
10. Merci à Tous – Thank you all
Now, you want to appreciate everyone that came to celebrate with you, sympathize or for some other reason. You can easily use merci à tous to show a sense of gratitude to them all. This phrase can both be used in a formal and informal setting.
Example: J’apprécie votre soutien, merci à tous
Translation: I appreciate your support, thank you all
Here are some of the best ways to say “thank you in french” summarized:
| French Phrase | Translation | Situation |
|---|---|---|
| Merci Beaucoup | Thank you very much | Formal |
| Un immense merci | Thank you so much | Formal/Informal |
| Je vous remercie | Thank you | Formal |
| Merci mille fois | Thanks a million | Formal/Informal |
| Merci pour tout | Thank you for everything | Formal/Informal |
| C’est très gentil à toi/vous | That’s very kind of you | Formal/Informal |
| Merci de tout coeur | Thank you with all my heart | Formal/Informal |
| Merci, mon ami/e | Thank you, my friend | Informal |
| Merci à Tous | Thank you all | Formal/Informal |
Receiving Thanks in French
Now that we have learned how to say thank you in French, let us properly talk about how best to receive the thanks and respond. As you have read above, there are many ways to respond to people when they tell say ‘thank you in French, but before we go further, one of the basic things you need to learn is Days of the Week in French. Knowing the days of the week in French will help you to easily communicate even if are a newbie in French language.
1. De rien – You’re welcome
De rien basically means ‘You are welcome’. This expression is the most commonly used expression to respond to people saying ‘thank you’ in French. It is an informal response and should be used to respond to phrases such as merci, Merci mon ami, Merci mille fois, etc. It is often used for friends, colleagues, family, and to people, with whom we have cordial relationships.
2. Je vous en prie – You’re welcome
Je vous en prie is a more appreciated and formal way to respond to thank you. This response can be used to respond to thank you expressions such as Merci Beaucoup, Je vous remercie, etc. You would normally give this kind of response to your staff at work, in business meetings, or any other official gatherings. However, this response can also be used for informal purposes, if you wish to.
3. Ça me fait plaisir – My pleasure
When you are thanked for all you have done for someone or for your support, you can use the response Ça me fait plaisir meaning ‘Its my pleasure’. This response is often used in formal discussions, although it can also be used for informal purposes. Meaning that you can use it anywhere.
4. (Ne) t’en fais pas – Don’t worry about it
You bought someone for someone or you helped them to achieve a huge task and they thank you for it. (Ne) t’en fais pas is the best response to give in this situation. Also, like Ça me fait plaisir, it can be used both for formal and informal purposes.
5. C’est normal – It’s normal
C’est normal is a slang used in the french community to serve as a response to almost any ‘thank you’ phrase you receive. It is not appropriate for formal usage and even in informal discussions. As we said, it’s just a slang.
To recap, some of the most common ways to say you’re welcome in French, are “de rien” or “je vous en prie”. You’ll commonly hear these expressions throughout French speaking areas.
Je vous en prie
‘No, Thank You’ in French
Imagine a situation where you are buying a croissant in a Parisian boulangerie, and the baker asks whether you want a gâteau as well. You don’t want this and you are trying to politely refuse the offer. What would you say? How do you politely refuse a gesture or offer in French? You would say No, thank you, right? But how do you say it in French? It’s very easy. Non in French means No, and since we know already that the basic expression for ‘thank you’ is merci. So, ‘No, thank you’ in French will be Non, merci. This is the most common phrase you would hear around to say ‘No, thank you,’ although there are other phrases too that can be used to mean the same thing. Other phrase to use is non merci à vous which means ‘No, thank you’. This response is not encouraged because it implies that the refusal is aimed at someone in particular. Saying “non merci à vous” basically means “I refuse your invitation”, which is somewhat disrespectful.
Non, merci can be used for just anybody, in both formal and informal gatherings.
Example Question: Voulez-vous un tour?
Answer: Non, merci
Translation: Question: Would you like a ride?
Answer: No, thank you
I recommend that you watch this video, as an additional resource that will further assist you in understanding how to pronounce different ways to say ‘thank you ’ in French.
It’s Time to Show Some Gratitude!
There are many different ways to express your gratitude in French, but the most common way is merci meaning ‘thank you’. Other phrases to use have been discussed in the article. Also, you must learn about the situations to use these phrases, as you don’t want to sound disrespectful. We also discussed how best to respond to such greeting, and the most common is De rien or Je vous en prie, which means ‘You are welcome’ in an informal and formal context.
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