Thank you in German is Danke (DAHN-keh). For thank you very much, say Danke schön or Vielen Dank; for deep gratitude, Vielen herzlichen Dank. To name the reason, add für: Danke für die Hilfe (thanks for the help). The usual reply is Bitte or Gern geschehen. Careful: when someone offers you something, a plain Danke can mean "no, thanks".
- Thanks
- Danke
- Thank you very much
- Danke schön, Vielen Dank
- Thanks for…
- Danke für…
- Reply
- Bitte, Gern geschehen
- Switzerland
- Merci (also used in Germany)
- Level
- A1
How do you say thank you very much in German?
German turns up the volume by adding words around Danke or by switching to the noun Dank. All of these are correct with du and with Sie; they differ in warmth more than in formality.
| German | English | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Danke | Thanks, thank you | Everyday; never rude |
| Danke schön | Thank you very much | Warm and polite |
| Danke sehr | Thank you very much | Polite, slightly more reserved |
| Vielen Dank | Many thanks | Polite; the email favourite |
| Vielen herzlichen Dank | Thank you so much | Heartfelt |
| Tausend Dank | A thousand thanks | Informal, enthusiastic |
| Danke dir / Danke Ihnen | Thank you (personally) | Points the thanks at one person |
| Ich bedanke mich | I would like to thank you | Formal: speeches, letters |
In real life, a thank you is often one quiet word. On a Berlin S-Bahn, a tired architect's portfolio spills across the floor and the stranger behind him catches it:
"Danke", sagt er leise.How do you thank someone for something?
Use für plus a noun in the accusative: den for masculine nouns, die for feminine and plurals, das for neuter. To thank someone for an action, use dass and send the verb to the end, or the handy shortcut fürs plus a verb as a noun.
Danke für den Kaffee!
Thanks for the coffee!
Vielen Dank für die Einladung.
Thank you very much for the invitation.
Danke fürs Zuhören.
Thanks for listening.
fürs = für das.
Danke, dass du gekommen bist.
Thanks for coming.
dass sends the verb to the end.
Vielen Dank im Voraus.
Thanks in advance.
Common at the end of emails.
The verb danken takes the dative: Ich danke dir, Ich danke Ihnen. In this B2 chapter, a daughter finds an old letter in the attic that thanks her father for something he never mentioned:
Mein lieber Werner, ich kann dir nicht genug danken dafür, dass du uns beide beschützt hast.Can danke mean no in German?
Yes, and it trips up many visitors. When a host offers more cake or a waiter asks if you want another drink, Danke on its own, often with a small hand gesture, usually means "no, thanks". To accept, say Ja, bitte or Gerne.
Noch einen Kaffee? – Ja, gerne!
Another coffee? – Yes, please!
Noch etwas Kuchen? – Nein, danke. Ich bin satt.
Some more cake? – No, thanks. I'm full.
Spelling, briefly: the phrase is Danke schön, two words. Written as one, das Dankeschön is a noun, a thank-you: ein kleines Dankeschön is a small thank-you gift.
How do you reply when someone thanks you?
Bitte is the classic answer, and Gern geschehen or plain Gerne are just as common. The full list, with regional ones, is on how to say you're welcome in German. If the other person helped you too, turn it round with Ich danke dir! or Ich habe zu danken! (it's me who should thank you).
Thanks often comes paired with please; see how to say please in German.
Read a free German chapter and tap danke, bitte or any other word to see its meaning in context.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce Danke?
"DAHN-keh", stress on the first syllable. The a is short and open, and the final e is a light "uh", never silent. Danke schön is "DAHN-keh shern", with ö said like "er" with rounded lips.
What does Danke, gleichfalls mean?
"Thanks, same to you." It's the reply when someone wishes you something: a nice weekend, a good meal, a pleasant evening. Danke, ebenfalls means the same.
Do people say merci in German?
In Switzerland, merci is the everyday thank you, often as merci vielmal. Some people in Germany use it too, casually. Danke is understood everywhere.
Is Danke schön more polite than Vielen Dank?
Not really. Both are polite. Danke schön is more common in speech, and Vielen Dank is the usual choice in emails and written messages.