In February 2000, the International Mother Language Day was started with the view of promoting cultural and linguistic diversity. The International Mother Language Day is a day to not only celebrate your native tongue but also learn a phrase or two from a foreign language.
There are more than 6,900 officially-documented languages in the world, which comprise both distinct languages and dialects of the same language. Now, that’s a whole lot of foreign languages to learn in one lifetime. However, it’s unlikely that you’ll be interested in learning all of these languages, which is a great thing considering that only a handful of them are popularly used worldwide.
Saying “thank you” isn’t just a polite way to express gratitude. It’s also one of the best ways to get introduced to a foreign language.
We’ve compiled a list of how to say “Thank You” in more than 100 popular languages around the world.
- AFRIKAANS – Dankie (dahn-kie)
- AKAN/TWI – Meda wo ase
- ALBANIAN – Ju faleminderit (fah-lehm-meen-DEH-reet)
- ALGERIAN – Faleminderit
- ARABIC – Shukran/ (shoe-kraan)
- ARAGONESE – Grazias
- BALINESE – Suksma (Suks-maa) or Terima kasih (Tur-EE-mah KAH-see)
- BALOCHI – Minna vaaran’
- BASQUE – Eskerrik asko
- BAVARIAN/AUSTRIAN GERMAN – Dankschee
- BHOJPURI – Dhanvaad
- BODO – Sabaikor or Hambaiswi
- BOSNIAN – Hvala (HVAH-lah)
- BRAZILIAN PORTUGUEESE – Obrigado (oh-bree-GAH-doo) said by a male or Obrigada (oh-bree-GAH-dah) said by a female
- BRETON – Trugarez
- BULU – Akeva
- CATALAN – Gràcies (GRAH-syuhs)
- CEBUANO – Salamat
- CHAMORO – Si yu’us ma’åse’
- CHICHEWA – Zikomo
- CHINESE CANTONESE -Do jeh (daw-dyeh)
- CHINESE MANDARIN – Xie xie (shieh-shieh)
- CORSICAN – Grazie (GRAHTS-yeh)
- CROATIAN – hvala (HVAH-lah)
- DANISH – tak (tahg)
- DOGRI – Dhanwaad
- DUTCH – Dank u (dahnk oo) or Dankjewel (dahnk-uh-wel)
- DZONGKHA – Kadrin chhe
- ENGLISH – Thank you
- ESPERANTO – Dankon
- ESTONIAN – tänan (TA-nahn) or aitäh
- FIJIAN – Vinaka (Vee-Nah-Kah)
- FINNISH – kiitos (KEE-tohss)
- FRENCH – merci (MEHR-see)
- FRISIAN – Dankewol
- FULA – Jaaraama
- GERMAN – danke (dahn-kah)
- HAITIAN CREOLE – Mesi/anpil (meh-SEE/on-PEEL)
- HAUSA – Na gode
- HAWAIIAN – mahalo (ma-HA-lo)
- HILIGAYNON – Salamat
- HMONG – Ua tsaug (Oua jow)
- HOPI –Askwali
- HUNGARIAN – köszönöm (KØ-sø-nøm)
- ICELANDIC – takk (tahk)
- IGBO – Daalu
- ILOKANO – Agyamannak
- INDONESIAN – terima kasih. (tuh-REE-mah KAH-see)
- INUKTITUT – Naqurmiik (Nak-urm-eek)
- IRISH – Go raibh maith agat (GUH ROH MAH ug-ut)
- ITALIAN – grazie (GRAHT-tsyeh)
- JAPANESE – arigatô (ah-ree-GAH-toh)
- JAVANESE – Matur nuwun
- KHASI – Khublei
- KINYARWANDA – Murakoze
- KIRUNDI – Urakoze
- KONKANI – Deu borem korum
- KURDISH – Spas dikim
- KYRGYZ – Rakhmat (rah-maat)
- LATIN – Gratias tibi
- LATVIAN – paldies (PUHL-dyehs)
- LEBANESE – choukrane
- LIMBURGISH – Dankewaal
- LINGALA – Melesi
- LUGANDA – Webale
- LUXEMBOURGISH – Merci (MEHR-see)
- MAGAHI – Dhanyavaad
- MAITHILI – Dhanyabad
- MALAGASY – Misaotra (meesh-OW-truh)
- MALAY – terima kasih (TREE-muh KAH-seh)
- MALAYALAM – Nandi (nanni)
- MALTESE – grazzi (GRUTS-ee)
- MANIPURI/MEITEI – Thaagatchari
- MAORI – Kia mihi
- MARWARI – Dhanyawadh
- MIKMAK – Welálin
- MIN DONG – Kan sia
- MORÉ – Barka
- MOSSI – Y barka
- MURATHI – Dhanyawada (Dhan-ya-bad-a)
- NEVAJO – Ahéhee’
- NORTHERN SOTHO – Ke a legoba
- NORWEGIAN – takk
- OJIBWE – Miigwetch
- ORIYA – Dhanyabaad
- OROMO – Galatoomi — singular or Galatoomaa — plural
- PORTUGUESE – obrigado [masculine]/obrigada [feminine] (oh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah)
- QUECHUA – Sulpayki
- SAMOAN – Fa’afetai
- SCOTTISH GAELIC – Tapadh leat/leibh (TAH-puh let/leave)
- SESOTHO – Ka e laboga
- SHONA – Ndinotenda
- SINDHI – Merharbani
- SINHALA – Istutiy (isst-too-tee)
- SLOVENIAN – hvala (HVAA-lah)
- SOMALI – Mahadsanid (maHAD SaNid)
- SPANISH – gracias (GRAH-syahs)
- SUNDANESE – Hatur nuhun
- SWAHILI – Asante (ah-sahn-teh)
- SWATI – Ngiyabonga (Nni-ya-bonga)
- SWEDISH – tack
- SWISS GERMAN – Dankeschön
- SYLHETI – Dhonobad
- TAGALOG FILIPINO – Salamat po (sa-LAH-maht poh) – formal or Salamat (sa-LAH-maht) – informal
- TAMIL – nandri
- TARIFIT – Choukrane (shok-run)
- TAWAINESE HOKKIEN – Xie xie ni (shh-yeah shh-yeah nee)
- THAI – kop khun
- TONGA – Tualumba
- TSALAGI CHEROKEE – Wado
- TSONGA – Ndza Khensa
- TSWANA – Ke a leboga
- TURKISH – te?ekkür ederim (teh shek uer eh der eem)
- UYGHUR – Rahmat
- UZBEK – Rahmat (RAH-mat)
- WELSH – diolch (DEE-ol’ch)
- XHOSA – Enkosi
- YIDDISH – a dank
- YOCUBA – Balika
- YORUBA – E dupe
- ZULU – ngiyabonga (Nn-i-ya bong-ga)
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. If you ever find yourself in a country or region where any of the above languages is predominantly spoken, remember to say “thank you” in the local language. It’s an excellent way to blend in with the locals. A piece of advice – ensure you get the pronunciations right.