ありがとう

• Reading: ありがとう
• Romaji: arigatou
• Pronunciation: /a.ɾi.ɡa.toː/

Meaning

Thank you — the standard casual expression of gratitude in Japanese.

ありがとう is the most fundamental and frequently used expression of gratitude in Japanese. While ありがとうございます is the polite form, ありがとう alone is the go-to among friends, family, and peers. It carries genuine warmth and sincerity. Despite being 'casual,' it is far more heartfelt than ultra-casual variants like あざっす or サンキュー.

Examples

1. ありがとう、本当に助かった！ Thank you, you really saved me!
2. プレゼントありがとう、大事にするね。 Thanks for the gift, I'll take good care of it.
3. いつもありがとう、感謝してる。 Thank you for always being there, I really appreciate it.

Usage Guide

Context: daily conversation, friends, family, peers

Tone: warm, sincere, grateful

Do Say

• ありがとう、嬉しい！ (Thank you, I'm so happy!)
• 来てくれてありがとう (Thanks for coming)

Don't Say

• 目上の人やお客様には「ありがとうございます」を使う (Use ありがとうございます with superiors and customers)

Common Mistakes

• Pronouncing the final う as a distinct 'u' — it should be a long 'o' sound (arigatō)
• Using ありがとう with superiors or in formal business — ありがとうございます is required

Origin & History

From ありがたい (arigatai, grateful/rare/precious), which traces back to 有り難い (ari + gatai, 'difficult to exist' → rare → precious → grateful). One of the oldest and most fundamental Japanese expressions.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient, used for centuries

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Arguably the single most important Japanese word for learners to know. The foundation of all gratitude expressions.