Kansai おおきに and standard thanks

The idea

In some Kansai speech, おおきに expresses thanks and corresponds to standard ありがとう. A shopkeeper may use it, but speakers and situations vary. ありがとうございます is a polite standard expression; the examples below use standard Japanese.

Examples

• 手伝てつだってくれて、ありがとうございます。Thank you for helping me.
• 本当ほんとうにありがとうございます。Thank you very much.
• 道みちを教おしえてくれて、ありがとうございます。Thank you for telling me the way.
• 今日きょうはありがとうございました。Thank you for today.
• お茶ちゃをどうもありがとうございます。Thank you very much for the tea.
• いつもありがとうございます。Thank you for everything you always do.

Watch out

Do not assume every person in Kansai says おおきに or that it fits every relationship. すみません can mean “sorry” or “excuse me” and can also express gratitude in context.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the Japanese form for “Kansai expression of thanks”: （おおきに／ありがとうございます）

   Show answer or example answer

   おおきに

   おおきに matches “Kansai expression of thanks”; ありがとうございます matches “polite standard expression of thanks”.

2. Choose the Japanese form for “polite standard expression of thanks”: （すみません／ありがとうございます）

   Show answer or example answer

   ありがとうございます

   ありがとうございます matches “polite standard expression of thanks”; すみません matches “standard expression used for an apology”.

3. Choose the Japanese form for “standard expression used for an apology”: （すみません／おおきに）

   Show answer or example answer

   すみません

   すみません matches “standard expression used for an apology”; おおきに matches “Kansai expression of thanks”.

Use it today

Use the reference to make two sentences of your own about this topic. Read them aloud and compare them with the examples.