How to say thank you in Italian

How many ways are there to say thank you in Italian?

Many! This is because Italian thanks depend, among other things, on the degree of formality between the speakers.

Italians lead a pretty rich social life, so it’s no wonder they have a vast pool of expressions to express gratitude in their language.

Grazie!
Thanks!

So that’s it, that’s how you say thanks in Italian.

Hold it! Don’t close this page just yet!

There is so much more than a grazie, which you probably already knew as the direct translation for thanks in Italian. Learning more subtle ways for saying thank you in Italian will earn you much appreciation by the locals.

Gratitudine
Gratitude

We love it when non-native speakers take the time to delve into the subtleties of our language! 😉

dad receiving a drawing from his kid and saying thanks - how do you say thank you in italian

In this lesson, we’ll take a look at all the common ways to say thank you in standard Italian so you can rest assured you’ll be able to use them throughout Italy in all your travels.

So, what are the different ways to show your gratitude in Italian? Let’s find out in this ultimate guide to the Italian thanksgivings.

For each thanks you’ll find:

  • an audio recording from a native speaker (that would be me!)
  • the context where the thanks is used
  • the translation into English and its meaning
woman running - let's start!

How do you say thank you in Italian?

Let’s start with the most common Italian thanks. This is so internationally popular that there’s a good chance you already know what word I’m about to teach you. Besides, we’re already taken a look at it in our introduction.

Most common thank you in Italian – Grazie

Pronunciation: graht-see-eh

Grazie
Thanks
Thank you

Ringraziare
To say thanks

Grazie is simple, common and straightforward. It is only made up of six letters, but it always goes a long way.

Grazie is pretty universal since it’s appropriate in formal and informal situations alike.

Don’t confuse grazie with grazia, meaning “grace”! Thank you in Italian ends in -e, graziE.

Need to thank a waiter at a restaurant? Grazie! Want to say thanks to a shopkeeper? Grazie! Feel like thanking your best friend for a much appreciated gift? Grazie!

Grazie per la bella chiacchierata.
Thank you for the good talk.

Grazie per avermi aiutato.
Thanks for helping me.

Grazie dell’invito. Verrò sicuramente!
Thank you for the invitation. I will definitely come!

Vuoi un po’ di caffè? – Sì, grazie.
Would you like some coffee? – Yes, please.

We actually say grazie when we are offered anything to eat or drink, unlike English which uses please. When you want to refuse something, you simply say No, grazie.

Ho aiutato Marta a pulire casa e non mi ha neanche detto grazie!
I helped Marta clean the house and she didn’t even say thank you!

boy saying thanks for a flower bouquet - how do you say thank you in italian

Tante grazie and molte grazie

Pronunciation: tahn-teh-graht-see-eh, mall-teh-graht-see-eh

In case one grazie isn’t enough, you can multiply it by an indefinite number and get tante grazie, with tante meaning many.

Tante grazie
Many thanks

This thank you in Italian has a variant: molte grazie.

Molte grazie
Many thanks

It is just as common as tante grazie and just as polite.

Tante grazie and molte grazie are not that common between friends, but you will hear them often in case a little bit of formality is needed. Both are more polite than a simple grazie.

Tante grazie and especially grazie tante (words in reversed order) are NOT always ways to say thank you in Italian. Depending on the intention of the speaker, they can convey sarcasm and express disappointment.

When you are addressed a grazie tante, look for cues in the body language and tone of voice. If something’s odd, chances are you’re not really being thanked for anything.

thank you in italian - molte grazie - little girl handing a flower bouquet to her grandma or mom

Grazie mille

Pronunciation: graht-see-eh-mill-eh

If an indefinite number of thanks isn’t enough, you can multiply grazie by a thousand and get grazie mille.

Mille, despite it sounding similar to the English million, means thousand in Italian. Million would be milione, but we never say “grazie milione”.

Grazie mille
Thank you very much, a million thanks
Literally: A thousand thanks

Very occasionally, you may also find it as mille grazie, which is a more formal and slightly old-fashioned variant of grazie mille. If you want to sound like a person from the 21st century, stick to grazie mille!

Grazie mille per la tua disponibilità.
Thank you very much for your helpfulness.

Grazie mille per gli auguri.
Thank you very much for the good wishes.

Grazie mille per la splendida cena.
Thank you very much for the wonderful dinner.


Grazie davvero

Pronunciation: graht-see-eh-dove-veh-roh

When you want to show how grateful and genuine you are when saying thank you in Italian, use grazie davvero.

Grazie davvero
Thank you, I mean it
Literally: Really thank you

Grazie davvero, non pensavo che avrebbe funzionato!
Thank you really, I didn’t think it would work!


Most desperate thank you in Italian – Grazie infinite

Pronunciation: graht-see-eh-in-fee-nee-teh

And if a thousand thanks are still not enough to express your gratitude, you can even say grazie infinite: an infinite number of thanks.

Make sure you don’t drop the final -e in infinite.

Grazie infinite
Thank you very much
Literally: Infinite thanks

Ideally you use this when you are truly desperate for someone to do you a favor and you’re just at a loss for words on how to show your unending appreciation. Next step would be to bend the knee…

Grazie infinite is a way to say thank you in Italian that can sound a bit dramatic and over the top, so don’t overuse it.

Grazie infinite, Massimo. Non so davvero come ricambiare.
Thank you so much, Massimo. I really don’t know how to reciprocate.

grazie infinite - very grateful boy crying happy tears - how to say thank you in italian

Second thank you in Italian – Grazie ancora

Pronunciation: graht-see-eh-ahn-koh-rah

Say that one thank you in Italian isn’t enough. You can say grazie ancora, thank you again.

Grazie ancora
Thank you again

Grazie ancora per l’aiuto. – Figurati!
Thank you again for your help. – You’re welcome!


Most heartfelt thank you in Italian – Grazie di cuore

Pronunciation: graht-see-eh-dee-koo-oh-reh

If you’re extremely grateful about something and you have an informal relationship with the person you’d like to say thank you in Italian to, you can use grazie di cuore.

Grazie di cuore
Thank you very much
Literally: Thanks from [the] heart

Cuore is the Italian word for heart. Did you know? It rhymes with amore, love! 😉

Grazie di cuore, sei un tesoro!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, you are a treasure!

thank you in italian - grazie di cuore . heart with a "thank you" inside

Grazie di tutto

Pronunciation: graht-see-eh-dee-toot-toh

Grazie di tutto is the literal translation of thanks for everything.

This way of saying thank you in Italian is especially useful when you want to show gratitude to somebody for showing you around the city, giving you directions, or helping you buy stuff from a store. It’s not common in the business world.

Grazie di tutto
Thanks for everything

Grazie di tutto, Federico. È stata una giornata indimenticabile.
Thank you for everything, Federico. It has been an unforgettable day.


Ti ringrazio

There are still many expressions for showing gratitude in Italian that we need to cover, as there are a lot of them that don’t use grazie as part of their formula. Let’s take a look at these.

Pronunciation: tee-reen-graht-see-oh

You can use ti ringrazio with friends and people you are on familiar terms with. It’s a bit less common than grazie and grazie mille, but still very common.

Ti ringrazio
Thank you
Literally: I thank you

Then we have ti ringrazio molto, which is a more intense variant of the above.

It’s suitable to use with friends and relatives.

Pronunciation: tee-reen-graht-see-oh-mall-toh

Ti ringrazio molto
Thank you very much
Literally: I thank you much

Ti ringrazio per esserti preso cura del mio cane.
Thank you so much for taking care of my dog.

Ti ringrazio per il regalo, ma non dovevi proprio scomodarti!
Thank you so much for the gift, but you really didn’t have to bother!

father and two kids - ti ringrazio!

La ringrazio

Pronunciation: lah-reen-graht-see-oh

La ringrazio is the formal variant of ti ringrazio. It is very common between people who are not familiar with each other or whenever a certain degree of formality is needed.

A simple grazie can work too, but la/La ringrazio suits best in the business world, where it is often followed by a stretta di mano, handshake.

La ringrazio
Thank you
Literally: I thank you

Pronunciation: la-reen-graht-see-oh-mall-toh

La ringrazio molto
Thank you very much
Literally: I thank you much

La ringrazio molto per questa opportunità di lavoro.
Thank you very much for this business opportunity.

The plural form for both ti ringrazio and la ringrazio is vi ringrazio (molto). This is used specifically to say thank you in Italian to a whole group of people, in any situation.

Pronunciation: vee-reen-graht-see-oh

Vi ringrazio
Thank you very much (to more than 1 person)
Literally: I thank you much

how do you say thank you in italian - la ringrazio molto - man bowing to show gratitude

Less common ways to say thank you in Italian

Ti/Le sono riconoscente

Not very common in any age group, but from time to time you can still hear it.

Literally it means I am thankful to you. It’s not that common in English either and it sounds a bit stiff in Italian as well, so unless you are at a medieval costume event or are writing a polite letter, don’t use it.

Pronunciation: tee-soh-noh-ree-coh-noh-shan-teh

Ti sono riconoscente
I’m thankful (informal)
Literally: I’m thankful to you

Pronunciation: leh-soh-noh-ree-coh-noh-shan-teh

Le sono riconoscente
I’m thankful (formal)
Literally: I’m thankful to you

Ti sono riconoscente per tutto quello che hai fatto per la mia famiglia.
I am grateful for everything you have done for my family.


Ti/Le sono grato/a

This is similar to ti sono riconoscente, grato being the translation for grateful.

Pronunciation: tee-soh-noh-graht-toh

Ti sono grato
I’m grateful (informal)
Literally: I’m grateful to you

Pronunciation: leh-soh-noh-graht-toh

Le sono grato
I’m grateful (formal)
Literally: I’m grateful to you

We have four versions of it:

  • ti sono grato (informal, make speaker)
  • le sono grato (formal, male speaker)
  • ti sono grata (informal, female speaker)
  • le sono grata (formal, female speaker)

If you are a male and need to thank your boss at work, you will say le sono grato. If you are a female, you will say le sono grata.

ti sono grata - old woman holding a white flower bouquet - how do you say thank you in italian

Non so come ringraziarti/ringraziarla

If words are failing you or you think there’s no way to convey how grateful you are, use one of these to say thank you in Italian.

Non so come ringraziarti.
I don’t know how to thank you. (informal)

Non so come ringraziarla.
I don’t know how to thank you. (formal)

Non so davvero come ringraziarti. – Un “grazie” sarebbe sufficiente!
I really don’t know how to thank you. – A “thank you” would be enough!

non so come ringraziarti - very surprised woman - how to say thank you italian

È molto gentile da parte tua/sua

This is another polite way to say thank you in Italian that you can use when you’re very grateful to someone. We could literally translate it as It is very kind from your part, gentile meaning kind.

È molto gentile da parte tua.
That is very kind of you. (informal)
Literally: It is very kind from your part

È molto gentile da parte sua.
That is very kind of you. (formal)
Literally: It is very kind from your part

È molto gentile da parte tua, just as tante grazie, is another of those ways to say thank you in Italian without really meaning it at all. Again, search for signals in the body language and intonation of the speaker.


Sei un tesoro!

Pronunciation: seh-ee-oon-teh-saw-roh

This is a very informal and very affectionate way of saying thank you in Italian, so don’t use it with people you’re not on familiar terms with.

It comes from tesoro, meaning treasure or sweetheart. Treasures are rare, so keep them close!

Sei un tesoro!
You are a sweetheart!

sei un tesoro! - treasure map - mappa del tesoro

Non avresti dovuto!

Non avresti dovuto, literal translation for you shouldn’t have, is an informal way of thanking someone specifically after receiving a gift from them.

Non avresti dovuto!
You shouldn’t have!

Aiuta Lingookies con un 👍!


Ti/le devo un favore

These come from favore which means favor. They are suitable to use in any situation, since there’s an informal and formal variant, and are especially useful when you want to convey the message that you will reciprocate one day and return the favor.

Ti devo un favore.
I owe you a favor. (informal)

Le devo un favore.
I owe you a favor. (formal)

When you want to say thanks to YOU in Italian just after you’ve been thanked, say grazie a voi if you’re among friends or grazie a lei in more polite settings!


I miei ringraziamenti

This is another very polite way to say thank you in Italian, and it’s not that common in the spoken language. You may find it more often in business writing.

It comes from ringraziamento, which means thanksgiving.

I miei ringraziamenti
Many thanks
Literally: My thanks

Ringraziamento
Thankgiving, thanks

thank you in italian - thanksgiving day dinner
Other

How NOT to say thank you in Italian…

Pronunciation: graht-see-eh-al-caht-tso

Grazie al cazzo!
No shit!
Literally: Thanks to [my] dick!

Even though it features the word grazie, this expression is never used to say thank you in Italian. It indirectly translates the English no shit! when it is used as a reply to some obvious statement or when you are unsatisfied about something.

A: Sapevi che Laura ha passato l’esame di Francese C2 a pieni voti?
B: Grazie al cazzo, sua madre è madrelingua francese!

A: Did you know that Laura passed her C2 French exam with flying colors?
B: No shit, her mum is a native French speaker!

A: L’assicurazione ci rimborserà metà del valore della merce.
B: Grazie al cazzo, cosa la paghiamo a fare?

A: The insurance company will refund half of the value of the goods.
B: No fucking thanks, what are we paying them for?

grazie al cazzo - no shit - how not to say thank you in italian - annoyed woman with a pink shirt on

Cazzo is an Italian swear word and it literally means dick.


What to say when someone says thank you in Italian?

There’s one little word that’s universally used to say you’re welcome in Italian.

Prego

Prego is a versatile little word. Italians use it as a way to say you’re welcome in Italian, but depending on the situation you may also use it to translate please. It is a very common word and is used in both formal and informal relationships.

Prego
You’re welcome

Now, where would you use prego as a translation for please? In courtesies.

  • You’re holding the door for someone
    Prego, dopo di lei. Please, after you.
  • You’re inviting someone to sit down
    Prego, si sieda pure. Please, have a seat.

➡️ Learn all the different ways to say you’re welcome in Italian!


What next?

Now that you’ve seen how do you thank you in Italian, you might want to keep learning Italian online with these free Italian resources:

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