How to Say Thank You in Japanese by Using Arigatou

How to Say 'Thank You' in Japanese by Using 'Arigatou' If you are in Japan, you will probably hear the word arigatou (㠁‚り㠁Å'㠁 ¨Ã£ â€ ) used on a regular basis. It is an informal way of saying thank you. But it can also be used in conjunction with other words to say thank you in Japanese in more formal settings, such as an office or a shop or anywhere where manners matter. Common Ways of SayingThank You There are two common ways of saying thank you formally: arigatou gozaimasu and arigatou gozaimashita. You would use the first phrase in a setting like an office when addressing a social superior. For example, if your boss brings you a cup of coffee or offers praise for a presentation you gave, youd thank her by saying, arigatou  gozaimasu. Written out, it looks like this:  Ã£ â€šÃ£â€šÅ Ã£ Å'㠁 ¨Ã£ â€ Ã£ â€Ã£ â€"㠁„㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢. You can also use this phrase in less formal settings as a more general expression of thanks, either for something someone has done or will do for you.    The second phrase is used to thank someone for a service, transaction, or something that someone has done for you. For example, after a clerk has wrapped and bagged your purchase, you would thank him by saying arigatou  gozaimashita. Written out, it looks like this: 㠁‚り㠁Å'㠁 ¨Ã£ â€ Ã£ â€Ã£ â€"㠁„㠁 ¾Ã£ â€"㠁Ÿ. Grammatically, the difference between the two phrases is in the tense. In Japanese, the past tense is indicated by adding mashita to the end of a verb. For example, ikimasu (è ¡Å'㠁 Ã£  ¾Ã£ â„¢ ) is the present tense of the verb to go, while ikimashita (è ¡Å'㠁 Ã£  ¾Ã£ â€"㠁Ÿ) is the past tense.