The simplest form—grazie(thank you)—can be used in everyday interactions.
Va bene, grazie.
OK, thanks.
When the barista gives you the espresso you ordered, you’ll say grazie.
After you’ve finished your espresso, you might say this as you leave the café:
Grazie, buona giornata. (Thank you, have a good day.)
An important note about the pronunciation of grazie: the e is essential. Leaving the “e” off is a common mistake that can quickly become a bad habit, so be careful!
And, regardless of the region or dialect, the basic word for “thank you” in Italian is always grazie.
Don’t confuse it with the singular form grazia (grace), which is never used to express gratitude!
Grazie mille (thanks a million) adds more flourish to your expression of gratitude.
Grazie mille. Molto gentile.
Thank you very much. That’s very kind of you (I appreciate it).
If a friend has given you half of her sandwich because you forgot your lunch, you’ll want to say:
Grazie mille, stavo morendo di fame! (Thanks a million, I was starving!)
It’s also easy to use grazie mille sarcastically. Perhaps your spouse has just given you a stack of bills that need to be paid. Now’s the time to roll your eyes and sigh, Grazie mille.
Saying mille grazie is also correct, but less common.
When earnest and heartfelt, tante grazieis really no different than molte grazie.
But be careful: If said in the wrong tone, or especially if the words are switched around to grazie tante, it comes across as sarcastic. It’s like saying, “Thanks for nothing.”
For example, if a colleague has withheld information about an important meeting, now’s the time to say:
Grazie tante per la tua schiettezza! (Thank you so much for your forthrightness!)
If you want to thank someone for something specific, you’ll begin with grazie per and complete the phrase with a noun.
Perhaps you have an amazing colleague who covered for you when you arrived an hour late to work.
Grazie per la tua discrezione. (Thank you for your discretion.)
You can also use grazie per with a verb. Imagine your friend coming to visit you. She even cooks for you! To really thank her you can say:
Grazie per aver cucinato per me! (Thank you for cooking for me!)
Grazie per essere la migliore amica del mondo! (Thank you for being the best friend in the world!)
Similarly, you can use grazie di before a verb. If you wish to continue thanking your amazing colleague or friend, you can say:
Grazie di avermi aiutato. (Thank you for helping me.)
On the other hand, if you’re feeling a bit sarcastic and want to say “thanks for nothing,” you can use grazie di niente!
Maybe the repairman who was supposed to fix your refrigerator just ended up breaking the freezer too. In your (understandable) frustration, you might say to him, Grazie di niente! (Thanks for nothing!)
The verb “to thank” in Italian is ringraziare. This verb is used when thanking someone in a more formal situation.
Vivian, ti ringrazio per essere venuta.
Vivian, thank you for coming.
You can use ti ringrazio when you’re especially grateful for something done by someone you’re close with. Maybe your brother donated his kidney to you! This would be the time to say:
Ti ringrazio dal profondo del mio cuore per le tue parole gentili. (I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words.)
And, like our #5 phrase, ti ringrazio is also a polite way to decline something offered to you.
If you want to switch it up, you can never go wrong with a sweet “I (really) appreciate it.”
Ciao Maria, grazie per avermi aiutato con il progetto. Lo apprezzo tanto! (Hi Maria, thank you for helping me with the project. I appreciate it a lot!)
This phrase literally means “to good repayment” or “to good yield.” But you can use it to say “thank you” after someone has done you a favor. It’s very similar to “I owe you one.”
For example:
Mi hai prestato i soldi quando ne avevo bisogno. A buon rendere! (You lent me money when I needed it. I’ll return the favor!)
This “thank you” phrase is more formal, making it best to use with people older than you, your boss and others you don’t have a close relationship with.
Le sono molto grato per avermi offerto un passaggio in macchina. (I am very grateful to you for offering me a ride in your car.)
This is the informal version of the previous phrase. It also means “I’m very grateful to you” but is better suited for friends, family and people younger than you.
Ti sono molto grata per avermi aiutato con il mio progetto di scienze. (I am very grateful to you for helping me with my science project.)
One of the best ways to say “thank you” is by recognizing and acknowledging the efforts of the other person. This phrase does the trick, coming across as one of the most sincere ways to thank someone.
Hai fatto davvero tanto per aiutarmi a preparare la cena di ieri sera. Grazie mille! (You did so much to help me prepare dinner last night. Thank you so much!)
In any country and in any language, learning to express gratitude is essential. Kindness, politeness and gratitude go a long way anywhere in the world.
To get more natural with Italy’s gratitude culture, keep immersing yourself in authentic Italian content, which you can find on sites like YouTube and FluentU.
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