Phrases for thanking someone in English

This is a list of phrases for showing appreciation or gratitude to someone in English.

Light "thank you" phrases

If someone does something small for you, you can say:

Thanks.

Thank you.

It's common to follow "Thanks" with a person's name or a word to address them:

Thanks darling.

Thanks Ben!

Appreciate it!

It's not often used in American English, but English speakers in Britain and Australia often say:

Cheers.

More serious English "Thank you's"

When someone really goes out of their way to help you, you can use one of these expressions to show a deeper level of gratitude:

We really appreciate all of your hard work and effort.

Thank you so much.

This is less formal but expresses a lot of emotion:

Thank you so, so much for coming.

You might think that this phrase would express deep thanks, but it's not exactly used that way:

Thank you very much.

Actually, people often use this for simple polite interactions like when a waiter brings your food.

You can also use it when you're angry with someone:

I can do it just fine by myself, thank you very much.

Formal expressions of thanks

Here's a formal phrase to use in situations like when you're writing a card to someone:

I'm so thankful for having you in my life.

The emotion that this phrase expresses is really strong.

Another phrase which is also formal but not as emotional is this one:

I want to thank you for all the support you've given me during my time here.

This phrase is good to use in various situations at work.

Responding to "thank-you's"

When someone thanks you, it's polite to respond in some way. Depending on how serious the "thank you" is, you can respond with one of the phrases below:

• Sure.
• No sweat.
• No problem.
• You're welcome.
• Don't worry about it.
• You're quite welcome.
• No, not at all.
• It's my pleasure.
• It's the least I could do.

This list is arranged roughly in order of seriousness.