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When you’re learning a new language, politeness is key. You’re almost guaranteed to make mistakes when speaking, but a lot of the confusion and awkwardness can be smoothed over with a few simple courtesy phrases. In this guide, we explain the most common way to say thank you in German, then give nearly a dozen other ways of expressing thanks so you always have the right phrase to use for every situation. We end with other polite phrases in German that you should know.

The Most Common Way to Say “Thank You” in German

How do you say “thank you” in German? The easiest and most common way to say thank you in German is “danke” (DAHN-keh). Your barista hands you a coffee? “Danke!” Someone holds a door open for you? “Danke!” A friend compliments your outfit? “Danke!”

Danke most directly translates to “thanks” and it’s a great all-purpose word to use whenever you want to give someone a quick “thank you.” Below is a video on how to pronounce danke.

Other Ways to Say Thanks in German

Danke is the most common way to say thank you in German, but what if you’re looking for something a little more meaningful or formal? German has you covered! There are multiple ways to say thanks in German. Below are two charts of the most common ways of saying thank you. The first chart is informal ways to say thank you (use around friends and people you know), and the second is formal ways to say thank you (for strangers or professional situations).

Informal Ways to Say Thank You in German

Formal Ways to Say Thank You in German

Other Polite German Sayings

Of course, courtesy doesn’t end with just thanking someone; there are many other polite phrases to know. Below is a table of other polite German phrases that are commonly used. You can see that there are multiple ways to say you’re welcome in German. Also notice that the word “Bitte” is very useful to know. It can mean please in German, as well as you’re welcome, pardon, and can I help you.

Summary: Thank You in German

How do you say thank you in German? It can depend on many factors, such as how formal the situation is and how many people you’re speaking to, but “danke” is the most common way to say thanks in German. If you want to really show your gratitude, “danke schön” is the most common way to say thank you very much in German.

But what about other polite phrases? “Bitte” is the most common way to say please in German, and there are many ways to say you’re welcome in German, including “Gern geschehen” and “Bitteschön.”

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