How to Say "Thank You" in Vietnamese? 20 Different Ways to Express Gratitude
"Thank you" is a magic phrase, and it should be included in your vocabulary list for beginners. You will not only learn how to say "thank you" in Vietnamese but also how to use it naturally in real-life situations.
Expressing gratitude can be about a lot more than just one phrase. There are different and more nuanced or natural ways to thank somebody for something, and understanding the right way to say “thank you” in Vietnamese can help you build stronger relationships and show your appreciation even more authentically. In this post, we are going to explore different ways to say "thank you", the pronunciation and how to say "you're welcome."
How to say thank you in Vietnamese?
In Vietnamese, "thank you" is expressed as cảm ơn (standard) or cám ơn (colloquial). If you want to say "thank you so much," the phrase needed is cảm ơn nhiều or cám ơn nhiều.
Thank you in general
Cảm ơn is the best option to say thank you in Vietnamese and it works in every situation without being too formal or too casual. It's used to express gratitude and appreciation for an action or help that someone else has given you. Cảm ơn literally means "to feel someone's kindness" as the breakdown below:
Cảm: "to feel" or "to sense." It shows up in other words like cảm giác (feeling/sensation), cảm động (to be moved/touched), cảm thấy (to feel/perceive)
Ơn: "favor," "kindness," or "grace" — a good deed someone did for you. It shows up in ơn nghĩa (debt of gratitude), chịu ơn (to owe someone a favor)
How to pronounce thank you in Vietnamese:
cảm | ơn |
starts like the "k", followed by "ahm" with a falling-then-rising tone (review six tone marks in Vietnamese) | like "uhn," but the "ơ" sound is a bit more open than the English "uh" — closer to the vowel in "fur" without the "r" |
Say it like: kahm uhn
Pronunciation audio:
Northern accent
Southern accent
Example:
Cảm ơn đã giúp đỡ chúng tôi trong thời gian qua. (Thank you for helping us during this time.)
-Nước của chị đây ạ! -Cảm ơn! (Here's your drink, ma'am! - Thank you!)
Thank you in Vietnamese in formal and informal situations
If you have learned something about Vietnamese pronouns, try to use them to customize your thank-you message to different speakers.
Example:
Cảm ơn em (speaking to someone younger than you)
Cảm ơn chị (saying thank you to a woman older than you)
Cảm ơn anh (saying thank you to a man older than you)
You can also add a subject "I/we" to this to make it more complete and often more sincere/formal. The pattern is: [Subject] + cảm ơn + [object] + (vì/về + reason).
Example:
Chúng cháu cảm ơn bác về bữa tối. (We thank you (uncle/aunt) for dinner.)
Em cảm ơn anh vì đã chỉ bảo em tận tình. (I thank you for guiding me so thoughtfully.)
>>> Explore Different Ways to Say "I" in Vietnamese
In formal situations
A formal thank you in Vietnamese can be formed by adding the particle "ạ" at the end of the sentence or "dạ" at the beginning of the sentence. These words don't really have any equivalents in English, but they carry a respectful tone.
Example:
Cảm ơn anh ạ
Dạ cảm ơn chị
In formal writing or announcements, you will also see the pattern "Xin cảm ơn..." The word "xin" literally means "to request." Using this phrase indicates a highly formal thank you.
Example:
Xin cảm ơn quý khách đã sử dụng dịch vụ (a thank you message sent to customers)
Xin cảm ơn mọi người đã có mặt ngày hôm nay (a thank you message at the beginning of the meeting)
In informal situations
Among friends and daily conversations, you can also use particles to shift the tone to being warm and casual. In these cases, add "nha," "nhé," or "nè" at the end.
Example:
Cảm ơn mấy bạn nhiều nha. (Thank you so much, my friends.)
Cảm ơn anh yêu nhé. (Thank you, my love)
Different ways to say thank you in Vietnamese
Above are some basic phrases to say thank you in Vietnamese. There are many more ways to convey gratitude that you will hear native speakers use.
1. Cảm ơn rất nhiều (Many thanks)
This intensifies the basic cảm ơn, similar to how "many thanks" works in English. Use it when you want to show a clearly stronger level of gratitude than a plain "thank you" and it fits both formal and casual settings.
2. Chân thành cảm ơn (Sincerely thank you)
This phrase emphasizes that the gratitude comes from the heart, not just social politeness. It commonly appears in letters, speeches, or whenever you want the listener to understand this isn't just a courtesy phrase.
3. Cảm ơn mọi người (Thank you everyone)
Used when thanking a group, after a gathering, an event, or when wrapping up a post thanking a community for their support. This phrase is simple, but broad enough to cover everyone at once.
4. Bạn thật tốt bụng (You're so kind)
Rather than thanking someone directly for an action, this compliments their character. It's typically said after someone does something thoughtful or unexpectedly generous. Read more on similar compliments in Vietnamese.
5. Mình thật sự rất biết ơn (I'm so thankful)
This expresses a deeper level of gratitude, usually used when someone has helped you through a genuinely difficult situation.
6. Mình rất trân trọng điều đó (I really appreciate that)
This phrase emphasizes that you truly value and acknowledge the gesture — fitting for when someone puts in special time or effort on your behalf.
7. Cảm ơn sự giúp đỡ của ... (Thank you for your help)
This structure uses "sự giúp đỡ" (assistance) as a noun, followed by "của" plus the person's name or pronoun. For example, "Cảm ơn sự giúp đỡ của anh." It's a slightly more formal way to thank someone for help than the verb-based "Cảm ơn đã giúp đỡ." You can change the noun to "món quà" (gift), "lời khuyên" (advice), "phản hồi" (feedback) etc.
8. Cảm ơn đã chỉ đường (Thank you for showing the way)
You will need this phrase when learning essential Vietnamese phrases for travel. It can be used when someone gives you directions or helps you find your way somewhere — a tourist thanking a local, or someone thanking a stranger on the street.
9. Xin gửi lời cảm ơn đến tất cả mọi người (I'd like to extend my thanks to everyone)
This is a formal way to thank a group, commonly found in speeches, official thank-you letters, or public announcements — more ceremonial than an everyday, direct thank you in Vietnamese.
10. Xin trân trọng cảm ơn quý vị (We would like to respectfully thank you all)
This is the most formal option on the list, using "quý vị" to address guests or an audience with respect. It's typically a closing line for a speech, conference, or formal event — equivalent to how you'd end a ceremonial occasion.
How to respond to thank you in Vietnamese
Knowing how to accept thanks is just as useful as knowing how to give them. The most common response is Không có gì/ Không có chi (You're welcome). You can use it in every situation. Besides, you can add a little nuance to make your conversations sound more natural and warm, such as:
Không cần khách sáo đâu. (Don't be so formal with me.)
Có gì đâu. (Don't mention it.)
Rất vui khi được giúp đỡ bạn. (It was my pleasure to help you.)
Learn how to say thank you in conversation
Conversation 1
Saying thank you to a local who showed you the way
-You: Xin lỗi, cho mình hỏi đường nào đi đến chợ Bến Thành vậy? (Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to Ben Thanh Market?)
-Local: À, bạn đi thẳng đường này, đến ngã tư thì quẹo trái, đi thêm khoảng 200 mét là đến. (Go straight down this road, turn left at the intersection, and it's about 200 meters further.)
-You: Mình cảm ơn nhiều nhé. Bạn thật tốt bụng. (Thanks so much. You're so kind.)
Conversation 2
Response to a thank you from a colleague
-Colleague: Cảm ơn chị đã giúp em sửa lại bản báo cáo hôm qua nhé. (Thanks for helping me fix the report yesterday.)
-You: Không có gì đâu, có gì thắc mắc cứ hỏi chị nha. (Don't mention it, feel free to ask me if you have any questions.)
-Colleague: Vâng, em còn nhờ chị giúp đỡ nhiều ạ. (Okay, I'll still need your help a lot more.)
Frequently asked questions
Q: How do Vietnamese people say thank you?
A: Vietnamese speakers typically start with the core term cảm ơn and append a specific pronoun or respectful particle based on the listener's relative age and social connection.
Q: What is the difference between "cảm ơn" and "cám ơn"?
A: "Cảm ơn" is the standard spelling taught in schools and used in formal writing, textbooks, and official documents while "cám ơn" is a very common variant, especially in spoken language and in the South of Vietnam and it's considered more colloquial/informal.
Q: I don't know which pronoun to use, is it okay to say only "cảm ơn"?
A: It's totally fine to use "cảm ơn" in general. Locals understand you're still a beginner and they won't judge you. However, when speaking to older people, try to add "dạ" or "ạ" to show your respect.
Q: How to say "No, thank you" in Vietnamese?
A: When declining an offer (like food or a drink), you can say "Thôi, cảm ơn." When someone offers help you don't need, you can say "Không cần đâu, cảm ơn nhé." Remember that declining too quickly or too firmly can seem rude, especially with elders or in formal settings. So, try to add particles "ạ", "dạ" or "nhé" and use appropriate pronouns.
>>> Explore Basic Vietnamese Phrases for Beginners
You now know what is the Vietnamese equivalent of "thank you," what to say instead of "cảm ơn" if you're looking to add some nuances, and how to respond with "you're welcome." Don't forget to try using free learning resources to practice these phrases in real conversations.
Practice Time
Ready to level up? Dive into our Free Resource Library — free audios, worksheets, games, and practice materials to help you learn faster.
