Learning how to say thank you in Italian is among the first things we study when we are learning Italian.
You may know that the most common translation of “thank you” is grazie, but did you know this is not the only way to express gratitude?
As in English, there are several ways in Italian to express gratitude formally and informally.
This is why we will show 10 ways to say thanks in Italian with accompanying translations, so you can expand your vocabulary and speak in a more natural way.
Keep reading!
THANK YOU IN ITALIAN
There is no record of when the word grazie became widespread.
However, we know that grazie is plural for grazia (grace or even blessing in English), which comes from the Latin grātia precisely the phrase grātiās agō, which means “I thank” or “I express my gratitude”.
Regardless it is plural for grazia, you need to keep in mind that thanking for just one thing requires using the plural grazie. For example:
A: Ecco il tuo cornetto. (Here you are your cornetto)
B: Grazie! (Thanks!)
Moreover, you can say grazie not only to thank someone but as a means of rejection. For example:
A: Volete ordinare di mangiare? (Would you like to order a meal?)
B: No, grazie. (No, thanks/thank you)
INFORMAL WAYS TO SAY THANK YOU IN ITALIAN
Grazie mille
This means thank you very much in Italian. You can also use mille grazie. Generally, you use it when the gratitude for a favor or service is deep. For example:
A: Ho comprato questa pizza per te (I bought this pizza for you)
B: Grazie mille! Avevo proprio fame. (Thank you very much! I was very hungry)
Molte grazie
We use this expression to say “Thanks a lot” in Italian. We say this to express gratitude to a higher degree than a simple grazie. For example:
A: Signorina, ho trovato il suo biglietto. (Lady, I’ve found your ticket).
B: Molte grazie, signore! Pensavo di averlo perso. (Thanks a lot, sir! I thought to have lost it)
Grazie di cuore
It means “thanks with all my heart” or “I wholeheartedly thank you”. Use it when you want to express sincere and deep gratitude. For example:
Grazie di cuore, dottoressa Marianna, per aver salvato la vita del mio gatto! (I wholeheartedly thank you, doctor Marianna, for saving my cat’s life!)
GRAZIE + DI / PER
One more way to say thank you in Italian is by adding prepositions after the word grazie.
This form can be stated when you want to make clear why you are thanking someone. Two formulas can be used:
Grazie + DI / PER + auxiliary’s infinitive (essere or avere) + main verb’s past participle
For example:
Grazie per essere venuti a casa mia (Thanks for coming to my house)
Grazie di avermi avvertito (Thanks for warning me)
Grazie + DI / PER + noun
For example:
Grazie per il regalo (Thanks for the gift)
Grazie dell‘aiuto (Thanks for your help)
FORMAL WAYS TO SAY THANK YOU IN ITALIAN
Ti / La / Vi ringrazio
In Italian, ringraziare means “to thank” in a formal register.
To express gratitude to a singular second person (tu) we say ti ringrazio (I thank you) or more formally La ringrazio“ (in this case, we are addressing a person we are not familiar with).
Moreover, if we want to thank several people, we use “vi ringrazio“ (I thank all of you).
For example:
Vi ringrazio per avermi invitato alla ceremonia (I thank all of you for inviting me to the ceremony)
È molto gentile da parte sua
It means “[it is] very kind of you”. This is another sentence we use to express gratitude. An example of how to use it is:
A: La aiuto a scendere le scale, signorina. (Lady, I help you walk down the stairs)
B: È molto gentile da parte sua. (Very kind of you)
Lo apprezzo tanto
In English, it is said “I appreciate it much” and may express please and thank you in Italian and how important the action of another person does for you. For example:
A: Lasciate che vi porti al tavolo. (Allow me to guide you to the table)
B: Lo apprezzo tanto! (I appreciate it much)
Le sono molto grata/o
It can be translated as “I am very grateful to you”. For example:
Le sono molto grata per essersi presa cura di mia madre. (I am very grateful for your having taken care of my mother)
La ringrazio anticipatamente
It means “I thank you in advance”. It is a common phrase in electronic and regular mail.
LET’S LEARN MORE VOCABULARY!
Italian is a language with a wide range of expressions and phrases that you must learn if you want to speak like a native speaker.
If you want to learn further ways to say thank you in Italian, we recommend you watch this video.
If otherwise is your wish to learn Italian, enroll in our totally personalized online lessons with native, certified teachers. You can check our prices here!
Since you now know 10 ways to say thank you in Italian, learn when to use prego (please in Italian).
