10 Ways to Say Thank You in Korean
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · Updated · How we write & review
After this page, you can thank anyone in Korean at the right level, and reply naturally when someone thanks you.
10-second answer
How do you say thank you in Korean?
The two must-know forms are 감사합니다 (kamsahamnida, formal/safe default) and 고마워 (gomawo, casual, close friends only) — but Korean has a full spectrum in between, from a business-formal 감사드립니다 (gamsadeurimnida) to a warm, drawn-out 정말 고마워요 (jeongmal gomawoyo). Which one you pick signals the relationship as much as the gratitude itself.
Quick check — did that land?
1. Which is the safest default "thank you" with someone you don't know well?
건배. Koreans have more ways to say “cheers” than you think!
The Full Spectrum
| Phrase | Formality | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 감사드립니다 (gamsadeurimnida) | Extra formal/humble | Business emails, formal speeches, addressing someone very senior |
| 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) | Formal/polite default | Strangers, customers, anyone you're not close with — the safest choice |
| 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida) | Formal, slightly warmer | Same contexts as 감사합니다, felt as a touch more personal |
| 정말 감사해요 (jeongmal gamsahaeyo) | Polite, emphatic | Adding "really/truly" for genuine gratitude, still respectful |
| 감사해요 (gamsahaeyo) | Polite-casual | Coworkers, acquaintances — 해요체, a notch softer than -합니다 |
| 고마워요 (gomawoyo) | Polite-casual, warmer | Same register as above but feels friendlier — a common middle ground |
| 고마워 (gomawo) | Casual (반말) | Close friends, people younger than you — see 감사합니다 vs 고마워 |
| 정말 고마워 (jeongmal gomawo) | Casual, emphatic | "Really, thank you" among close friends |
| 고맙다 (gomapda) | Very casual/blunt | Dictionary form — rarely said aloud this bluntly, but appears in writing/texts |
| 덕분에요 (deokbune-yo) | Polite, indirect | "It's thanks to you" — crediting the other person's help specifically, softer than a direct 감사 |
See also: 감사합니다 — thank you (formal)
The One Rule That Matters Most
If in doubt, default to 감사합니다 — it's never wrong, even in casual settings, just slightly more formal than necessary. Downgrading to 고마워 with the wrong person (a stranger, a boss, an elder) is the mistake that actually causes offense — same logic as 반말 vs 존댓말 generally.
Quick Examples
도와주셔서 감사합니다.
dowajusyeoseo gamsahamnida.
Thank you for helping me.
도와주다 (to help) + -셔서 (honorific "because") — a common full-sentence form.
Casual, Cute, and Texting Versions
Between friends the base form is 고마워, and Koreans stack intensifiers on it the way English does with "so much": 진짜 고마워 (really thanks), 너무 고마워 (thanks so much), 완전 고마워 (totally thanks — younger, slangy). Toward an older friend you're close to, put the title first: 형 고마워 / 오빠 고마워 / 언니 고마워 — the title carries the respect, so 고마워 stays casual. (English "thanks, bro" maps to 형 고마워 far better than to any literal translation.)
형, 진짜 고마워.
hyeong, jinjja gomawo.
Thanks a lot, bro (to an older male friend).
땡큐!
ttaengkyu!
Thank you! (Konglish, playful — friends only)
ㄱㅅ
(text abbreviation)
thx
Just the first consonants of 감사. Chat and comments only — never spoken.
If you know Japanese: arigatō sits roughly where 고마워요/감사합니다 sit, but Korean splits formality harder, so there's no single equivalent — pick from the table above by relationship.
How to Reply When Someone Thanks You
Textbooks teach 천만에요 (cheonmaneyo), but in real life Koreans rarely say it — it sounds stiff. The natural replies are all variations of "it's nothing": 아니에요 (anieyo, polite, the everyday default), 아닙니다 (formal), 별말씀을요 (byeolmalsseumeuryo, polite and humble, a little formal), and 뭘요 (mworyo, casual, "what for?"). Among friends, 괜찮아 ("it's fine") also works.
| They said… | You reply… | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| 감사합니다 | 아니에요 / 별말씀을요 | Polite, everyday |
| 감사드립니다 (formal) | 아닙니다 | Formal, work |
| 고마워 (friend) | 뭘 / 괜찮아 | Casual |
Full list with nuance on the you're welcome page.
The usual reply to thanks, 괜찮아요, is covered on 괜찮아 (gwaenchana).
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Using 고마워 with someone you just met
It's banmal — reserve it for close friends or people clearly younger than you.
Mistake #2 — Assuming 감사합니다 and 고맙습니다 are identical
Interchangeable in most contexts, but 고맙습니다 carries a slightly warmer, more personal feel.
Mini Quiz
2. What does 덕분에요 emphasize?
3. When is 고마워 (no 요) appropriate?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
Gratitude covered — apology is the other phrase every beginner needs at the same formality granularity.
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