When speaking to Germans you don't know, politeness will get you far."danke" is the basic way to say thank you in German.In other languages, you can express your gratitude in many different ways.You should know how to respond politely when someone thanks you for something you've said or done.
Step 1: "danke" is a way to thank someone.
"danke" is the standard way to say thank you in German.Even though it's not very formal, you can still use it when talking to anyone.German culture is formal and polite.Don't forget to say "danke" when anyone helps you or does anything for you.
Step 2: Take your "thanks" up a notch by adding "schn" or "sehr"
"Danke schn" and "danke sehr" can be used to say thank you.Both phrases are casually used, even though they are a little more formal."Many thanks" is one of the ways to say "Thank you very much" in German.
Step 3: If you need to be more formal, say "Ihren"
In German, the pronoun "Ihnen" is a formal second-person pronoun.It's important to say "I give you my thanks" while also showing respect for the person you're thanking."Thank you" is one of the most formal ways to say thank you in German.If you're talking to someone who is significantly older than you, you should reserve it.
Step 4: To thank someone for more than one thing, switch to "Vielen Dank fr alles".
"vielen Dank fr alles" means "thanks for everything."This phrase is appropriate if someone has helped you out in multiple ways or over a long period of time.If you're checking out of a hotel, you should use this phrase because the hotel likely performed many different services for you.
Step 5: After a date, say "Danke fr die schne Zeit".
"Thank you for the wonderful time" is what the phrase "Danke fr die schne Zeit" means.It's appropriate if someone took you out on a date, as well as any other occasion in which someone treated you to something, such as dinner or a concert.This phrase can be used with entertainers who put on a show for you.
Step 6: You should use "Danke fr Ihre" when you are a guest.
The phrase "Danke fr Ihre" means thank you.If you want to specifically thank someone for being warm and welcoming during your visit, this phrase is useful.The phrase "thanks for your help" can also be translated.The use of "Ihre" is formal.If you want to speak more casually, you can say "deine Gastfreundschaft" (DIH-neh GAHST-froynd-shahft).
Step 7: If someone has given you a gift, switch to "Danke fr das schne Geschenk"
You might say "Danke fr das schne Geschenk" if someone gives you a gift."Thank you for the lovely gift" is what this phrase means.If you're sending a thank-you card, email, or letter, a simple "danke" might suffice.It can serve as a reminder of why you're thanking them.
Step 8: Say "Danke im voraus" to anticipate a favor or action.
You might want to thank someone for something they haven't done yet."Thank you in advance" is the phrase you can use in that situation.If you have doubts about the person fulfilling your request, it's not appropriate to use this phrase.If you're just asking for general assistance, you might use it.
Step 9: To respond to compliment or well wishes, use "danke, gleichfalls".
"danke, gleichfalls" is a combination of thanks and a return of the same to the other person.This phrase is appropriate if someone tells you to have a good day.The clerk at the hotel might say "Ich wnsche dir alles Gute" as you check out.You could say "Danke, gleichfalls" or "Thanks, same to you."
Step 10: Say "bitte" in response to "danke"
If you travel to Germany or Austria, you'll hear the word "Bitte" a lot.If someone thanks you for something, the word literally means "you're welcome."
Step 11: If you get more emphatic thanks, switch to "bitte schn".
If someone says "danke schn" to you, you can use the corresponding response.If you want to express more emphatically that whatever you did was not a problem for you, you can use them.These phrases might be used by a server or retail clerk.They told you that they were doing their job and there was no need for you to thank them.That doesn't mean you should stop talking to people in the service industry.
Step 12: "gerne" means "my pleasure."
"gern geschehen" (gehrn GEH-sheh-ehn) means "done happily."You can say "gehrn-uh" for a shorter version."Gerne" is more casual, but still appropriate in most situations.Stick to "gern geschehen" when speaking to someone who is older than you.
Step 13: When speaking casually, use the word "kein problem"
If your first language is English, this mix of German and English is a fairly simple phrase to pick up.When talking to people you know very well, or people who are your age or younger, this is a very casual expression that should only be used.The word "problem" is the same as it is in English, but a native German speaker would say it differently."kein" is pronounced "kine."