Meaning
A strong and sincere expression of gratitude.
Cultural Background
Bowing is an essential part of saying '정말 감사합니다'. A 15-30 degree bow shows sincerity. For very deep gratitude, a 45-degree bow is used. In Korean business, '정말 감사합니다' is often followed by a business card exchange or a two-handed handshake (where the left hand supports the right arm). When receiving a gift, it is polite to say '정말 감사합니다' and use both hands to receive the item. Using one hand can be seen as disrespectful. After a meal hosted by someone else, saying '정말 감사합니다' along with '잘 먹었습니다' (I ate well) is the standard way to show appreciation.
The Bow Factor
Always pair this phrase with a slight bow. It doubles the perceived sincerity of your words.
Avoid with Friends
Using this with your best friend can make things awkward. Stick to '고마워' for them!
Meaning
A strong and sincere expression of gratitude.
The Bow Factor
Always pair this phrase with a slight bow. It doubles the perceived sincerity of your words.
Avoid with Friends
Using this with your best friend can make things awkward. Stick to '고마워' for them!
The 'M' Sound
Remember that '합니다' is pronounced 'HAM-NI-DA', not 'HAP-NI-DA'. The 'p' sound changes to 'm' naturally.
Humility
If someone says this to you, don't just say 'You're welcome'. Say '아니에요' (It's nothing) to show humility.
Test Yourself
Choose the most appropriate phrase to say to your boss after they give you a promotion.
사장님, 승진시켜 주셔서 _______.
In a professional setting with a boss, the formal '정말 감사합니다' is the only correct choice.
Fill in the blank with the correct intensifier to make the sentence 'Truly thank you'.
선물 ____ 감사합니다.
'정말' is the standard adverb used to intensify '감사합니다'.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Situation: You are at a job interview and the interviewer offers you water.
A job interview requires the highest level of formal politeness.
Complete the dialogue between a student and a teacher.
Teacher: '시험 잘 봤네요!' Student: '가르쳐 주셔서 _______.'
Students must use formal language (Hapsyo-che) when speaking to teachers.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Formal vs Informal Thanks
Practice Bank
4 exercises사장님, 승진시켜 주셔서 _______.
In a professional setting with a boss, the formal '정말 감사합니다' is the only correct choice.
선물 ____ 감사합니다.
'정말' is the standard adverb used to intensify '감사합니다'.
Situation: You are at a job interview and the interviewer offers you water.
A job interview requires the highest level of formal politeness.
Teacher: '시험 잘 봤네요!' Student: '가르쳐 주셔서 _______.'
Students must use formal language (Hapsyo-che) when speaking to teachers.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions'정말' is slightly more formal and 'literary', while '진짜' is more common in everyday casual conversation. Both mean 'really' or 'truly'.
No, the adverb '정말' must come before the noun/verb it modifies. It's always '정말 감사합니다'.
Technically, they are on the same level of politeness, but '감사합니다' is often preferred in professional or very formal settings because of its Sino-Korean roots.
You would say '고마워' (Gomawo). Using '감사합니다' to a child is very rare and sounds like a joke.
A full bow isn't needed for small things, but a slight nod of the head is almost always expected when saying '감사합니다'.
That's fine! '감사합니다' is perfectly polite on its own. '정말' just adds a layer of extra sincerity.
Younger people might say 'ㄱㅅ' (short for 감사) in texts, or use the Konglish '땡큐' (Ttaeng-kyu).
Yes, it is very common to end a professional email with '정말 감사합니다'.
It comes from Hanja: {感} (to feel) and {謝} (to thank). It literally means 'to feel thanks'.
It means 'It's nothing'. It's the most common way to say 'You're welcome' by being humble.
Related Phrases
고맙습니다
similarThank you (native Korean)
진심으로 감사합니다
builds onI sincerely thank you
대단히 감사합니다
specialized formThank you very much (grand)
천만에요
contrastYou're welcome
덕분에
similarThanks to you
