Whether you are simply studying French or planning a trip to a French-speaking country, "thank you" is one of the first words you should learn. The most basic way to say “thank you” in French is merci, but in some situations this simple two-syllable word may not be enough. Just like in Italian, there are alternative phrases in French that you can use to express your gratitude.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Basic Expressions for Thanking
Step 1. You say goods
The word merci is the most common way to say "thank you" in French, used by all French speakers and understood anywhere in the world where French is spoken.
- Merci is used in both formal and informal contexts and the spelling does not change, regardless of who you are thanking.
- You can say merci while smiling and nodding if you want to accept something that is offered to you. Similarly, you can refuse something by saying merci while shaking your head.
Step 2. Add madame or monsieur for a more refined tone
If you are speaking to someone you do not know, especially someone older than you or in a position of authority, follow your thanks with the appropriate French word for "lady" or "sir".
Use these words whenever you address someone as "Signora" or "Signore" in Italian. When in doubt, remember that being too polite never hurts, however, allow your interlocutor to correct you if he doesn't want you to address him so formally
Step 3. Use adjectives to show extreme gratitude
Sometimes, the simple word merci just doesn't seem enough. There are several terms and phrases you can add if you want to emphasize your gratitude towards the person you are talking to.
- The most common is merci beaucoup, which means "many thanks".
- Another common expression is merci mille fois or mille mercis, which literally means "thank you very much".
Step 4. Pay attention to the tone of your voice when you say merci bien
The word bien means "good" or "good" and, when combined with merci, creates an expression that means "many thanks". However, French speakers may interpret this particular phrase in a sarcastic way.
- For example, someone might say "Merci bien, mais j'ai pas que ça à faire!", Or "Thank you very much, but I have better things to do!".
- When in doubt, it is generally better to use merci beaucoup and non merci bien.
Step 5. Add pour if you want to thank someone for something specific
The French preposition pour means "for" and is used before specifying the action or item you are thanking for.
For example, you could say “Merci pour les fleurs”, which means “Thank you for the flowers”
Step 6. Try "C'est vraiment gentil de votre / ton part"
If someone is doing you a favor or gifting you something, you could say this sentence to emphasize how nice they were: the literal translation is “This is really nice of him / her”. Use votre to refer to older people you don't know and ton to your friends or people your same age and younger.
- Use this phrase in the same contexts in which you would say “It's very kind of you” or “What a kind thought” in Italian.
- Just like in Italian, you can combine this sentence with the word merci. For example, if on a hot day someone offers you a glass of fresh water, you could say "C’est vraiment gentil de ton part, merci!".
Method 2 of 3: Using the Verb "Remercier"
Step 1. Pay attention to the context
The French verb remercier literally means "to thank", but its use is much more formal than the Italian equivalent. In addition, it is mainly used in written communication.
You could also use it in a more formal conversation, for example during a job interview or while talking to law enforcement or other government authorities
Step 2. Conjugate the verb correctly
In most cases, you will use the first person singular of the verb remercier, since you are the one thanking someone. Use the first person plural if you are expressing thanks in someone else's name as well.
- Remercier is a reflexive verb. Be careful to conjugate it based on the subject of the sentence and not the person you're thanking. Use the formal reflexive pronoun vous for people who are older than you or who are in a position of authority.
- "Thank you" is said "Je te remercie" or "Je vous remercie".
- "We thank you" is said "Nous te remercions" or "Nous vous remercions".
Step 3. Include the thank you item
Just like when using merci, you can use the preposition pour if you want to specifically indicate why you are thanking your partner. This method is most commonly used when thanking someone long after the fact.
For example, if you meet someone who sent you flowers the previous week on your birthday, you might say "Je te remercie pour les fleurs" or "Thank you for the flowers"
Step 4. Express gratitude with remercier when writing a letter
Adding an expression of gratitude is quite common at the end of a letter, for example when making a request to a company or government official in a more formal context.
For example, if you are writing a letter for a job application, you could end it with the expression "Je vous remercie de votre attention", which means "Thank you for your attention"
Step 5. Use the nominal form of remercier in a formal letter
As in Italian, the French verb remercier can also be changed into a noun, by eliminating the final ending and adding -ments in its place.
- The word remerciements is usually used in written messages (letters or emails) when sending thanks to someone. The s at the end indicates that it is a plural word (the singular form is almost never used). Remember to precede it with the article les.
- For example, if you are thanking on behalf of someone else, you could write “Tu as les remerciements de Pascal”, which literally means “You have Pascal's thanks” (ie “Pascal sends you his thanks”).
- Remerciements can also be used in closing a letter. For example, you could write “Avec tout mes remerciements”, which means “With all my gratitude”.
Method 3 of 3: Respond to a Thanksgiving
Step 1. You say de rien
This is the simplest and most popular way to respond when someone thanks you. It corresponds to the Italian "di niente", of which it is also the literal translation.
- The word rien contains the French R, which can be one of the most difficult sounds to reproduce correctly for those unfamiliar with this language. It is a guttural sound, therefore pronounced by the throat and not by the tip of the tongue as in Italian and English.
- You can also say "ce n'est rien", the translation of which is roughly "it's nothing".
Step 2. Use "merci à toi" to thank someone in turn
There may be occasions when someone thanks you for something, but you feel like you should be the one to thank. This sentence has a similar meaning to the Italian "No, thanks to you".
Remember to use vous instead of toi if you are talking to older people or people you don't know as a sign of respect
Step 3. Alternatively, use the expression "Il n'y a pas de quoi"
As in Italian, also in French there are many phrases that you can use when someone thanks you. The literal translation would correspond to "no special", but "Il n'y a pas de quoi" is also used to say "It's nothing" or "Imagine".
This phrase can be used in both formal and informal contexts, regardless of who you are thanking
Step 4. Say “Pas de problème” in an informal context
When a friend or acquaintance expresses his gratitude to you, you can respond with this phrase, which means "No problem" or "No problem".
If you are not sure when it is correct to use this phrase, think about when you would say "No problem" in Italian. You probably wouldn't use such a straightforward phrase with someone much older than you or a government official
Step 5. Try “Je vous en prie” or “Je t'en prie” when you want to express yourself more formally
This phrase literally means "Please", but it is used in situations where you want to make the person thanking you understand that their gratitude is not needed.
- When deciding whether to use this phrase, think about the times when you would say something like “Oh, please! Don't even say it! " in Italian. These occasions are perfect for using “Je t'en prie”.
- You will easily use vous with this expression, since it belongs to a more formal scope.
Step 6. Use “Bienvenue” if you are in Québec
The word bienvenue literally means "welcome", just like when you welcome someone to your home. Although this word is generally not used as a response to thanks from other French speakers, it is in common use among the inhabitants of the Canadian region of Québec.
