A0 · 7 · Complete beginner

How to Say Please, Thanks and You’re Welcome

These short phrases help you make a polite request, show the right degree of gratitude and respond naturally when somebody thanks you.

Watch Clara explain this

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What you'll be able to do

✓Add por favor to the end of a simple request.
✓Choose an appropriate strength of thanks.
✓Reply to thanks with de nada, a ti or a usted.

The everyday reply

When somebody says gracias, the standard everyday reply is de nada. It means “you’re welcome” and simply accepts the other person’s thanks.

Nada means “nothing”, so the phrase is a little like “it was nothing” or “don’t mention it”. You can use de nada with someone you call tú or someone you call usted. The phrase itself does not change.

When thanks go both ways

Sometimes the thanks go both ways. In that case, a ti or a usted returns the thanks, rather like saying “thank you too”. This is a different intention from simply accepting thanks with de nada.

Use a ti with someone you call tú. Use a usted when the relationship is formal or respectful.

English keeps the same word, “you”, after a word such as “to”. In a ti, Spanish uses ti rather than tú. For now, remember a ti as a complete phrase.

Reply	What it does	Who it is for
de nada	Accepts the thanks	Any relationship
a ti	Returns the thanks	Someone you call tú
a usted	Returns the thanks	Someone you call usted

Three strengths of thanks

Gracias is the ordinary way to thank someone. Muchas gracias is stronger and literally resembles “many thanks”.

Use muchísimas gracias when you want to sound especially grateful. The written accent belongs on í, and the stress falls on chí.

The situation guides your choice, but a stronger phrase is not compulsory. Both muchas gracias and muchísimas gracias can be natural after a substantial favour.

Phrase	Meaning	Strength
gracias	Thank you / thanks	Ordinary, everyday thanks
muchas gracias	Thank you very much / many thanks	Stronger thanks
muchísimas gracias	Thank you so much	Especially emphatic thanks

Adding please to a request

Add por favor to make a request polite. In the model un café, por favor, the thing wanted comes first and “please” comes at the end.

English can place “please” before or after a request. Here, remember the useful Spanish pattern with por favor at the end. Un café, por favor is a complete request to recognise; the part to use actively in other requests is por favor.

The words

por favor: pleasePut it at the end of the model request.
gracias: thank you / thanksThe ordinary, everyday form of thanks.
muchas gracias: thank you very much / many thanksStronger than gracias.
muchísimas gracias: thank you so muchEspecially emphatic; the stress falls on chí.
de nada: you’re welcomeUse it to accept someone’s thanks.
a ti: thank you (in return, informal)Returns thanks to someone you call tú.
a usted: thank you (in return, formal or respectful)Returns thanks to someone you call usted.
un café, por favor: a coffee, pleaseA complete request to recognise.

More examples: real moments

Morning at the station caféEarly in the morning at a station café, Dani speaks to the café worker.

Dani: Buenos días.Good morning.
Café worker: Buenos días.Good morning.
Dani: Un café, por favor.A coffee, please.

A returned phoneIn the afternoon outside the pharmacy, Rosa gives Carmen back her lost phone.

Rosa: Buenas tardes.Good afternoon.
Carmen: Buenas tardes.Good afternoon.
Carmen: Muchísimas gracias.Thank you so much.
Rosa: De nada.You’re welcome.

Help between friendsIn Lucía’s flat, Lucía and Nerea have finished helping each other with a job.

Lucía: Muchas gracias.Thank you very much.
Nerea: A ti.Thank you too.

At hotel receptionAt night at a hotel reception desk, Carmen and the receptionist have both helped settle a problem.

Carmen: Buenas noches.Good evening.
Receptionist: Buenas noches.Good evening.
Carmen: Muchas gracias.Thank you very much.
Receptionist: A usted.Thank you too.

Remember

•Put por favor at the end of the model request.
•Choose gracias, muchas gracias or muchísimas gracias according to the strength of your thanks.
•Use de nada to accept thanks.
•Use a ti or a usted when you want to return the thanks.
•Write the accent in muchísimas and stress chí.

Practice

Type or choose your answer; each one is checked as you go.

1. Choose the right phrase

Choose the phrase that fits each meaning or situation.

1.Which phrase gives ordinary, everyday thanks?
2.Which phrase means “thank you so much”?
3.Someone thanks you, and you simply want to say “you’re welcome”.
4.You want to return the thanks to someone you call tú.

2. Complete the exchange

Fill each gap with the complete Spanish phrase.

1.Complete the request with the Spanish for ‘please’: Un café, .
2.You want to say “thank you very much”:
3.You want to say “thank you so much”:
4.Carmen: Gracias. Simply accept her thanks:
5.Álvaro: Gracias. Return his thanks respectfully:

3. Translate the courtesy phrases

Translate each short phrase into Spanish.

1.Please.
2.Thanks.
3.Thank you in return, informally.
4.Thank you in return, formally or respectfully.

4. Respond in real situations

Reply to each situation with one suitable Spanish line.

1.Your coffee arrives. Give the ordinary everyday thanks.
2.Carmen returns your lost wallet. Thank her as emphatically as possible.
3.Lucía thanks you after you have both helped each other. Return her thanks informally.
4.A receptionist you call usted thanks you after you have both helped settle a problem. Return the thanks respectfully.
5.A neighbour thanks you for holding the door. Simply accept the thanks.

Write your own exchange

Write a three-line café exchange. Use Un café, por favor, choose one form of thanks, then choose a suitable reply. Say all three lines aloud.

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Grammar in this lesson: Word stress and the written accent · Tú, usted, vosotros and ustedes

Revised 26 October 2026