Hey there, this is Teacher ola podcast episode 22: How To Say ‘Thank You’ In English? Vocabulary Booster.
My name’s Ola and I teach English online.
This podcast is for you if you’re an English learner who wants to speak English with more confidence and get rid of speaking barriers. Of course, you’ll boost your vocabulary, brush up your grammar and improve your pronunciation, most importantly, you’ll see how to have a tense-free conversation with another human being! Go to my website for full transcripts and worksheets to each episode. Happy learning!
Welcome back to Teacher Ola Podcast. Thanks a bunch for choosing to spend the next few minutes right here with me. After this episode, you’ll be able to thank people with more confidence. If you’d like to expand your vocabulary, it a great episode. Saying ‘thank you’ doesn’t come that easy to Polish speakers. Bear in mind that in English you sound really impolite without these simple words like ‘thank you’ or ‘please’.
There are many ways of expressing your gratitude, let’s look at some of them and repeat out loud. If you’re here for the first time you might not know why I ask you to do that. Let me explain it briefly. I know exactly your dream, and I know how much you’d like to achieve that fluency, ability to speak, communicate in English freely. The more you listen the better, I couldn’t agree more, yet if you want to speak you have to start speaking today. Always repeat the sentences I prepare for you, don’t leave it for later, repeat right here right now. Make the most of this time we have here.
Let’s have a look at phrases meaning ‘thank you’, shall we?
- Thanks so much.
It’s a great informal way of saying ‘thank you’ to someone you know well, especially if you want to put extra emphasis on how much you’re thankful.
- Thanks for being here.
Thanks for doing that.
Thank you for telling me.
Thank you for stopping by.
Just a quick reminder. After ‘thank you for’, or ‘thanks for’ use a verb with -ing ending, that is a gerund. Thanks for being here, for doing that, for telling, for stopping by.
- You made my day.
I’m sure you know exactly how to use it. It’s quite popular at the moment, it’s even translated word to word to Polish, so we end up with: Zrobiłeś/zrobiłaś mi dzień. Sounds horrible, horrible, never use it in Polish. At least not around me.
- Thanks a million.
Thanks a bunch.
Very casual phrase, great to use with family and friends.
- That’s very kind of you.
That’s very nice of you.
That’s very thoughtful of you.
A great phrase to use when someone has done you some kind of a favour. Use it when people offer you help you didn’t even ask for. Thank them for being thoughtful.
- You’re awesome!
You’re very nice.
The first is American. Americans tend to overuse the word ‘awesome’, it’s a bit of an exaggeration. The second one, ‘You’re very nice’ much more reserved, typically British.
- Oh, you shouldn’t have.
It’s when you get something unexpected. Be it a gift or a helping hand. ‘Oh’ is obligatory I’d say. ‘Oh’ expresses your surprise. You shouldn’t have bought it for me, oh you shouldn’t have done it, oh you shouldn’t have come. Let’s repeat again. ‘Oh, you shouldn’t have’.
- I couldn’t have done it without you.
I really appreciate everything you’ve done.
I’m really grateful for everything you’ve done.
These sound serious, don’t they? I’m sure you’ve noticed that. Use them if somebody played an important role in your achievement of some sort.
- This means the world to me.
This means a lot to me.
These two sound as if you’ve had a rough patch, some tough times, and somebody’s support made it possible for you.
- I owe you one.
This phrase is useful in a situation where you want to show you understand the debt, and the debt should be paid one day. You hope there will be a chance for you to repay someday.
- Cheers.
Americans use it when they make a toast, British people do it too, but they also use it like a short ‘thanks’. Use it for minor, not very important things. Cheers!
- Ta.
This is only British. It means thank you, of course. It originates in the 18th century, it’s usually taught by parents to their children when they’re too young to be able to utter the whole ‘thank you’. Adults use it too of course but only among friends and family. In another context, it might sound disrespectful and cheeky. So, be careful with ta.
Here you have it. I surely didn’t exhaust the topic, but I wanted to pick everyday phrases. Phrases you need to know and be able to use without hesitation. I want you to practice them speaking to yourself, speaking to your children, to your dog, or any pet you might have. Practice with English speaking people if only possible.
Now you know how to say your ‘thank you’ in various situations. Can you please tell me how do you response to ‘thank you’? Please let me know in the comments, how do you response to ‘thank you’?
Go to teacherola.com/22, and take it one step further, grab the worksheet and practice translating sentences form this very episode. If you’d like to have a closer look at the transcript, you’ll also find it there. It’s free at teacherola.com/22.
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Next episode is ‘Learn English With Music’ and I’m psyched to tell you it’s going to be I dare say the best American heavy metal band. Do you knot what band is it? Make sure you won’t miss it, subscribe.
Have a fantastic week, till next Wednesday, happy learning, bye!