How to say thank you in French?

How do you express gratitude to someone in French? There are many ways to say thank you in French and it is important to know them and when to use them. People say thank you in different ways in written and spoken French, and in formal and informal settings. Find, in this sheet, the most common expressions to thank someone according to the situation.

Thanking someone in everyday language

The simplest and most common way to thank someone is to say:

• Merci. → Thank you

This is a polite way without overdoing it. There are different ways to express gratitude with different degrees:

• Merci beaucoup
• Merci énormément pour…

These two expressions mean "thank you very much" and are said in more informal contexts.

• Merci énormément pour... → Thank you so much for...

This is another way of saying "thank you so much" but a little more formal than with "thanks".

Saying thank you very much in a formal way

In the working world, with colleagues, clients, your superiors, it's important to show that you appreciate their help. Here are a few examples that you can use orally and in writing:

• Je vous suis très reconnaissant. → I am grateful.

• Je tiens à remercier tout le monde pour votre soutien. → I'd like to thank everyone for their support.

• Merci beaucoup pour votre e-mail. → Many thanks for your email.

This last expression is often used in writing in emails or letters.

Say thank you very much in an informal way

If you want to thank your friends, relatives, etc., you can use the following expressions to say thank you. You can use the expressions below which are often used in familiar contexts:

• Merci pour ton aide. Je te revaudrai ça. → Thank you for your help. I owe you one.
• Merci de m'avoir aidé. Je te dois une fière chandelle. → Thanks for helping me out. I owe you big time.

" Je te revaudrai ça." or " Je te dois une fière chandelle. " is a way of expressing gratitude for a favor you have been given. It is used in informal situations and for small favors that are easy to do in the future.

• Tu m'as apporté du café ? Ah, tu me sauves la vie.. → You brought me coffee? Ah, you're a lifesaver.

This expression may seem a bit extreme, but it is widely used in English. " tu me sauves la vie.. " is a way of saying thank you to someone who has done you a favor.

You are now able to express your gratitude in all situations! To go further, check out our fact sheet on French politeness.