Thank you in Spanish: 12 creative ways to show gratitude in Spanish

Thank you is a natural human quality. Other species have their own ways of expressing gratitude, but we are the only ones who can say it aloud and choose when and how to say it. Learn some unique ways to say thank you in Spanish and show your gratitude to people around you.

There are many different ways to say “thank you” in Spanish, just as there are many different ways to say “thank you” in English. This essential piece of vocabulary applies to every context in our daily lives and knowing the appropriate expression for each occasion is invaluable.

Different ways to say thank you in Spanish

1.    Gracias — Thank you

This is the most common way to express gratitude in Spanish. It literally translates to “thank you.”

2.    Muchas gracias — Thank you very much

When you are grateful, you can literally give the other person many thanks.

3.    Mil gracias — Thanks a million, thank you very much

This is a casual way of saying “thank you very much” with a twist. The literal translation is “a thousand thanks,” but the English equivalent would be “thanks a million.”

But you can also say un millón de gracias, which is literally “thanks a million” if you are really in the mood for thanking someone.

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4.    Muchísimas gracias — Thank you very much, thanks a lot

Saying muchísimas gracias intensifies the expression far more than simply saying “thank you.” It is a great way to show someone that you are extremely thankful from the bottom of your heart.

5.    (Muchas) gracias por todo — Thank you (very much) for everything

This is a lovely expression and a common way of thanking someone for everything they have done for us without being specific.

6.    Gracias a todos — Thanks everyone

You will probably want to thank more than one person at some point. While gracias will suffice, gracias a todos is a nice simple one to know if you want to be a bit more specific or emphasize that you are thanking everyone.

It also includes the personal a, which is not found in English but is required in this context. Knowing these Spanish phrases will give you the opportunity to hold basic Spanish conversations with the people around you. It will increase your chances to build long-lasting relationships.

7.    Se agradece — It’s appreciated

If you want to experiment with the Spanish passive voice, try saying thank you in Spanish. Though the active voice is more common, the passive voice can be useful in some situations to provide different shades of meaning.

8.    Estoy muy agradecido/a — I’m very thankful

You must remember to choose the correct form of the adjective agradecido, depending on the gender and number of speakers.

9.    Muy amable — Thank you kindly, you are kind

While this phrase literally translates to “very kind,” it is a way of saying “thank you kindly,” or thanking someone in a way that implies the person to whom you are speaking is kind.

However, this phrase is frequently used when a simple gracias would suffice and because it is almost overused, the original meaning has been watered down.

10. Es muy amable de tu/su parte — That’s very kind of you

This phrase is similar to the one above, but it has more meaning and emphasis. While muy amable can be said casually, es muy amable de tu/su parte is more deliberate and sincere.

In informal situations, the possessive adjective tu (your) is used, whereas su (your) is used in formal situations, where you would address the person with usted (you, formal).

11. Gracias, ¡qué lindo! — Thanks, how nice!

This is commonly used to express gratitude to someone for something nice they have done or given to you. You wouldn’t say it to a checkout operator after buying groceries, for example, because they’d think you were being sarcastic.

In general, qué lindo! (how nice/sweet) can be a nice phrase to insert into conversations and encounters to express gratitude—just make sure the context is correct.

12. ¡Te pasaste! — You shouldn’t have!

This is a colloquial expression that literally means “you passed yourself,” but it can also mean “you shouldn’t have!”

However, if said in a different tone or context, it can also be used to reprimand someone, implying something like “you went too far.” However, if you can get the context right, your Spanish will sound nice and authentic.

Importance of saying thank you in Spanish

We are a social species, and as such, our interactions with other humans are critical: no matter what language you speak, expressions like “thank you” appear frequently.

Thankfulness is a sign of good manners and appreciation for the other person, and it’s a great way to make someone happy.

As we have discussed that there are various ways to thank someone, depending on who we are speaking with, and the context of the conversation. Indeed, as you learn each phrase, you should also learn how to use it. Just like this, there are several ways to say hello in Spanish and you need to come up with the right phrase depending on the nature of your situation and the type of conversation you are engaged in (formal or informal).

Frequently asked questions

Q. Is the word Gracias formal or informal?

A. “Gracias” is the most common and straightforward way to express gratitude in Spanish. It can be translated as “Thank you” or “Thanks” and it can be used in both formal and informal settings.

Q. What does “thank you, amigo” mean?

A. Another common way to say thank you in Spanish is gracias amigo, which translates as “thank you, my friend.”

Q. Is no gracias a saying?

A. This is the standard way of saying “no” when offered something. It’s also the most polite option. No, gracias means “No, thank you” in Spanish, and it’s used in the same way as in English.

Conclusion

Thank you, despite the fact that it sometimes appears to be a thing of the past, is nice and demonstrates the kind of person we are, regardless of the language we speak. So, learn these expressions, strike up a conversation with your Spanish-speaking friends, and put them to use.

Be curious. Try learning on your own, for example, search out what is how are you in Spanish. It will motivate you to devote more time and energy to learning Spanish. You can also get enrolled with italki. Book your lesson plan today and happy learning!