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In February 2000, the International Mother Language Day was started with the view of promoting cultural and linguistic diversity. The International Mother Language Day is a day to not only celebrate your native tongue but also learn a phrase or two from a foreign language.
There are more than 6,900 officially-documented languages in the world, which comprise both distinct languages and dialects of the same language. Now, that’s a whole lot of foreign languages to learn in one lifetime.
However, it’s unlikely that you’ll be interested in learning all of these languages, which is a great thing considering that only a handful of them are popularly used worldwide.
Saying “thank you” isn’t just a polite way to express gratitude. It’s also one of the best ways to get introduced to a foreign language.
We’ve compiled a list of how to say “Thank You” in more than 150 popular languages around the world.
How To Say Thank You in Different Languages
1. AFRIKAANS – Dankie (dahn-kie)
2. AKAN/TWI – Meda wo ase
3. ALBANIAN – Ju faleminderit (fah-lehm-meen-DEH-reet)
4. ALGERIAN – Faleminderit
5. ARABIC – Shukran (shoe-kraan)
6. ARAGONESE – Grazias
7. BALINESE – Suksma (Suks-maa) or Terima kasih (Tur-EE-mah KAH-see)
8. BALOCHI – Minna vaaran’
9. BASQUE – Eskerrik asko
10. BAVARIAN/AUSTRIAN GERMAN – Dankeschon
11. BELARUSIAN – (DZYAH-kooy)
12. BENGALI – Dhon-no-baad/(Dhonnobad)
13. BHOJPURI – Dhanvaad
14. BODO – Sabaikor or Hambaiswi
15. BOSNIAN – Hvala (HVAH-lah)
16. BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE – Obrigado (oh-bree-GAH-doo) said by a male or Obrigada (oh-bree-GAH-dah) said by a female
17. BRETON – Trugarez
18. BULGARIAN – (blagodaria)
19. BULU – Akeva
20. BURMESE – (Kyeizu tin ba de)
21. CAMBODIAN KHMER – (Aw khun)
22. CATALAN – Gràcies (GRAH-syuhs)
23. CEBUANO – Salamat
24. CHICHEWA – Zikomo
25. CHINESE CANTONESE -Do jeh (daw-dyeh)
26. CHINESE MANDARIN – Xie xie (shieh-shieh)
27. CORSICAN – Grazie (GRAHTS-yeh)
28. CROATIAN – hvala (HVAH-lah)
29. CZECH – (Dyekooyih)
30. DANISH – tak (tahg)
31. DOGRI – Dhanwaad
32. DUTCH – Dank u (dahnk oo) or Dankjewel (dahnk-uh-wel)
33. DZONGKHA – Kadrin chhe
34. ENGLISH – Thank you
35. ESPERANTO – Dankon
36. ESTONIAN – tänan (TA-nahn) or aitäh
37. FIJIAN – Vinaka (Vee-Nah-Kah)
38. FINNISH – kiitos (KEE-tohss)
39. FRENCH – merci (MEHR-see)
40. FRISIAN – Dankewol
41. FULA – Jaaraama
42. GEORGIAN – (gmahd-lohbt) — formal or (gmahd-lohb) — informal
43. GERMAN – danke (dahn-kah)
44. GREEK – (ef-hah-rees-TOH)
45. GUJARATI – Dhanyavaad (Dhan-ya-bad) or Aabhar
46. HAITIAN CREOLE – Mesi/anpil (meh-SEE/on-PEEL)
47. HAUSA – Na gode
48. HAWAIIAN – mahalo (ma-HA-lo)
49. HEBREW – todah (toh-DAH)
50. HILIGAYNON – Salamat
51. HINDI – shukriya
52. HMONG – Ua tsaug (Oua jow)
53. HOPI –Askwali
54. HUNGARIAN – köszönöm (KØ-sø-nøm)
55. ICELANDIC – takk (tahk)
56. IGBO – Daalu
57. ILOKANO – Agyamannak
58. INDONESIAN – terima kasih. (tuh-REE-mah KAH-see)
59. INUKTITUT – Naqurmiik (Nak-urm-eek)
60. IRISH – Go raibh maith agat (GUH ROH MAH ug-ut)
61. ITALIAN – grazie (GRAHT-tsyeh)
62. JAPANESE – arigatô (ah-ree-GAH-toh)
63. JAVANESE – Matur nuwun
64. KAZAKH – Raqmet (rakh-met)
65. KHASI – Khublei
66. KINYARWANDA – Murakoze
67. KIRUNDI – Urakoze
68. KONKANI – Deu borem korum
69. KOREAN – (gamsahamnida)
71. KURDISH – Spas dikim
72. KYRGYZ – Rakhmat (rah-maat)
73. LAO – Khawp jai
74. LATIN – Gratias tibi
75. LATVIAN – paldies (PUHL-dyehs)
76. LEBANESE – choukrane
77. LIMBURGISH – Dankewaal
78. LINGALA – Melesi
79. LITHUANIAN – (AH-choo)
80. LUGANDA – Webale
81. LUXEMBOURGISH – Merci (MEHR-see)
82. MACEDONIAN – blagodaram (blah-GOH-dah-rahm)
83. MAGAHI – Dhanyavaad
84. MAITHILI – Dhanyabad
85. MALAGASY – Misaotra (meesh-OW-truh)
86. MALAY – terima kasih (TREE-muh KAH-seh)
87. MALAYALAM – Nandi (nanni)
88. MALTESE – grazzi (GRUTS-ee)
89. MANIPURI/MEITEI – Thaagatchari
90. MAORI – Kia mihi
91. MARWARI – Dhanyawadh
92. MIKMAK – Welálin
93. MIN DONG – Kan sia
94. MONGOLIAN – (bayarlalaa)
95. MORÉ – Barka
96. MOSSI – Y barka
97. MURATHI – Dhanyawada (Dhan-ya-bad-a)
98. NEPALI – (Dhan-ya-bad)
99. NEVAJO – Ahéhee’
100. NORTHERN SOTHO – Ke a legoba
101. NORWEGIAN – takk
102. ODIA – Dhanyabaad
103. OJIBWE – Miigwetch
104. ORIYA – Dhanyabaad
105. OROMO – Galatoomi — singular or Galatoomaa — plural
106. PASHTO – Manana
107. POLISH – (Jenkoo-yen)
108. PORTUGUESE – obrigado [masculine]/obrigada [feminine] (oh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah)
109. QUECHUA – Sulpayki
110. ROMANIAN – mul?umesc (mool-tzoo-MESK)
111. RUSSIAN – spasiba (spuh-SEE-buh)
112. SAMOAN – Fa’afetai
113. SCOTTISH GAELIC – Tapadh leat/leibh (TAH-puh let/leave)
114. SERBIAN – hvala (HVAH-lah)
115. SESOTHO – Ka e laboga
116. SHONA – Ndinotenda
117. SINDHI – Merharbani
118. SINHALA – Istutiy (isst-too-tee)
119. SLOVAK – jakujem (JAH-koo-yehm)
120. SLOVENIAN – hvala (HVAA-lah)
121. SOMALI – Mahadsanid (maHAD SaNid)
122. SPANISH – gracias (GRAH-syahs)
123. SUNDANESE – Hatur nuhun
124. SWAHILI – Asante (ah-sahn-teh)
125. SWATI – Ngiyabonga (Nni-ya-bonga)
126. SWEDISH – tack
127. SWISS GERMAN – Dankeschön
128. SYLHETI – Dhonobad
129. TAGALOG FILIPINO – Salamat po (sa-LAH-maht poh) – formal or Salamat (sa-LAH-maht) – informal
130. TAHITIAN – (mah-roo-roo)
131. TAJIK – Sipos
132. TAMIL – nandri
133. TARIFIT – Choukrane (shok-run)
134. TATAR – Räxmät (rah-mat)
135. TAWAINESE HOKKIEN – Xie xie ni (shh-yeah shh-yeah nee)
136. TELUGU – Dhanyavaadaalu (Dhan-ya-bad-dalu)
137. THAI – kop khun
138. TONGA – Tualumba
139. TSALAGI CHEROKEE – Wado
140. TSONGA – Ndza Khensa
141. TSWANA – Ke a leboga
142. TURKISH – (teh shek uer eh der eem)
143. UKRAINIAN – (DYAH-koo-yoo)
144. URDU – Ab ka Shukriya
145. UYGHUR – Rahmat
146. UZBEK – Rahmat (RAH-mat)
147. VIETNAMESE – (come-un-baan) — formal or (come-un) — casual
148. WELSH – diolch (DEE-ol’ch)
149. XHOSA – Enkosi
150. YIDDISH – a dank
151. YOCUBA – Balika
152. YORUBA – E dupe
153. ZULU – ngiyabonga (Nn-i-ya bong-ga)
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. If you ever find yourself in a country or region where any of the above languages is predominantly spoken, remember to say “thank you” in the local language. It’s an excellent way to blend in with the locals. A piece of advice – ensure you get the pronunciations right.