Thank you in Italian is Grazie (GRAHT-tsyeh). For extra warmth, say Grazie mille (a thousand thanks). To give the reason, add per: grazie per l'aiuto, thanks for the help. Ti ringrazio is a sincere "I thank you" to someone you call tu; La ringrazio is the formal Lei version. The standard reply is Prego.
- Thank you
- Grazie
- Thanks a lot
- Grazie mille
- Thanks for…
- Grazie per… / Grazie di…
- Formal
- La ringrazio
- Reply
- Prego
- Level
- A1
Grazie, grazie mille or La ringrazio?
Plain grazie fits every situation, from a bus driver to a professor. The other forms add warmth or formality.
| Italian | English | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Grazie | Thank you, thanks | Everyday; anyone |
| Grazie mille | Thanks a lot | Warm; very common |
| Grazie tante | Thanks so much | Warm, but often used sarcastically |
| Molte grazie | Many thanks | A little more formal, common in writing |
| Grazie di cuore | Thank you from the bottom of my heart | Heartfelt |
| Ti ringrazio | I thank you | Sincere; to someone you call tu |
| La ringrazio | I thank you | Formal; to someone you address as Lei |
| Vi ringrazio | I thank you all | To a group |
Grazie also does a lot of quiet work in the middle of a conversation. In a Contos A2 comedy, a new choir conductor thanks an enthusiastic baker for his singing, then gently asks for less of it:
Chiara sorride e dice: "Grazie, Gianni. Ora più piano."Is it grazie per or grazie di?
Both are correct. Per is the more common choice in everyday speech; di is frequent in set phrases such as grazie di tutto. After either one you can put a noun or a verb. For something that has already happened, use the past infinitive: essere or avere plus the past participle.
Grazie per l'aiuto.
Thanks for the help.
Grazie di tutto.
Thanks for everything.
Grazie per essere venuti.
Thanks for coming.
To a group. To one man, venuto; to one woman, venuta.
Grazie per avermi aiutato.
Thanks for helping me.
La ringrazio per la Sua pazienza.
Thank you for your patience.
Formal. Sua is capitalised when it means your in the Lei form.
Grazie in anticipo.
Thanks in advance.
Common in emails.
How do you accept or refuse something politely?
Italian uses grazie on both sides of an offer: sì, grazie to accept and no, grazie to decline. In chapter 2 of a Contos A1 romance, a kiosk owner in a Turin park offers Elena her morning coffee, and Elena accepts before getting to what is really on her mind:
"Sì, grazie. Signora, guardi questo biglietto. Chi l'ha scritto?"No, grazie, sono a posto.
No, thanks, I'm fine.
Turning down more food or a drink.
Grazie, molto gentile.
Thank you, that's very kind.
Good with strangers.
How should you pronounce grazie?
The z in grazie is a ts sound, and the word has two syllables: GRAHT-tsyeh. The ie at the end glides together, and the final e is clearly sounded. English speakers often say "GRAH-zee" or "GRAH-see", which Italians understand, but it marks you as a tourist straight away.
Grazie is actually a plural: la grazia means grace or favour. Grazie a on its own means "thanks to" in the sense of because of: grazie a te, ho trovato lavoro, thanks to you, I found a job.
For replies, see how to say you're welcome in Italian. For thanks in the British sense of cheers, see how to say cheers in Italian.
Read A1 Italian stories and tap any word, including every grazie, to see what it means.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
What does grazie mille mean?
Literally "a thousand thanks". It is the most common way to say thanks a lot, and it works with anyone. Mille grazie, with the words swapped, means the same but is less usual.
Is grazie tante sarcastic?
It can be either. Said warmly it means thanks so much. Said flatly after an unhelpful answer, grazie tante means "thanks for nothing". Grazie mille is the safer choice if you want to sound sincere.
How do you say thank you to a group?
Grazie works for any number of people. Grazie a tutti means thank you, everyone. To be more personal, say vi ringrazio (I thank you all).
How do you thank someone in a formal email?
La ringrazio per la Sua risposta (thank you for your reply) or La ringrazio per la disponibilità (thank you for your help) are standard. Before signing off, Grazie e cordiali saluti is a common closing line.