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Thank you for …
There are various ways to say thank you in French which you can use however you like when speaking generally, but when naming the object of your appreciation, there’s a bit of grammar involved.
Depending on what you’re actually saying "thank you" for, you must choose between two prepositions: de and pour.
Merci pour + noun
To say thank someone for something specific in the form of a noun, especially a concrete noun,* use pour.
Par exemple…
| Merci beaucoup pour les vêtements. | Thank you very much for the clothes. | |
| Je te remercie pour le déjeuner. | Thank you for lunch. | |
| Remerciez-la de ma part pour les livres. | Thank her for me for the books. | |
| Je tiens à vous exprimer notre gratitude pour votre gentillesse. | I wish to express our gratitude for your kindness. | |
| En vous remerciant pour votre assistance, nous espérons … | Thanking you for your assistance, we hope … |
Merci de + verb
Use de to thank someone for doing something (expressed with the French infinitive or past infinitive).
Par exemple…
| C’est gentil de votre part de le dire. | It’s kind of you to say so. | |
| Je te remercie de l’avoir trouvé. | Thank you for finding it. | |
| Merci de m’avoir accompagné. | Thank you for accompanying me. | |
| Merci mille fois de nous avoir aidés. | Thanks a million for helping us. | |
| En vous remerciant de m’avoir parlé, je voudrais … | Thanking you for speaking to me, I’d like to … |
* De is also sometimes used with abstract nouns and sounds more elegant.
| Merci bien de votre assistance. | Thank you for your help. | |
| Merci de toutes vos bontés. | Thank you for all your kindness. | |
| Je vous remercie du soutien. | Thank you for your support. | |
| Merci de votre attention. | Thanks for your attention. |
When saying thank you to a friend, you might also do les bises.
Gratitude-Themed Grammar Quiz
Test yourself on saying thank you in French with this fill-in-the-blanks exercise: Exprimer sa gratitude
Note: You must be logged into your Progress with Lawless French account to take this test. If you don’t have one, sign up – it’s free!
Related lessons
- French expressions of gratitude
- De rien – and other, better ways to say "you’re welcome"
- Politeness
- Thanksgiving vocabulary
- Prepositions
- Social niceties
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