# thank you

idiom · CEFR A1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/thank-you
Updated: 2026-04-22

## Meaning

A polite phrase you say to show you are grateful for something someone has done or given you.

## Examples

- I want to say thank you for the gift.
- I always say thank you when someone opens the door for me.
- She sent a short note to say thank you for the help with her project.
- The waiter smiled when the customer said thank you after receiving the correct change.
- You should write a quick email to say thank you for the advice they gave you yesterday.
- The neighbors brought over a plate of cookies to say thank you for watching their dog while they were away on vacation.
- He offered a sincere thank you to his colleagues for their support during the difficult transition.

## Origin

From Middle English *thanke yow*. As with the phrases *thank God*, *praise be to God*, and *praise the Lord*, the expression was originally a present subjunctive form. Modern usage typically neglects this grammatical distinction. The phrase is also occasionally parsed as a pro-drop form of the present indicative *I thank you*. It is plausible that both mechanisms have coexisted across different instances of the term’s history.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.