Exercise 5: Expressions Before and After Thanking

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u        Note that gratitude is communicated more carefully and fully in Situation 2, due to the magnitude of thanks and age/status differences between the speakers.  The deeper the sense of gratitude is, the more elaborate the verbal expressions are likely to be.

u      Gochisousama (desu/shita) is an often used as an expression of thanks for a meal or food/drink. 

u      It is a common practice to use the present tense for expressions of thanks, such as arigatou gozaimasu and gochisou sama desu before or while receiving a favor.  However, the past tense is used for a favor that has already been received.

Situation 7: An exchange student agrees to accept more food saying:

            留学生：ありがとうございます。  Arigatou gozaimasu.  (before receiving a favor)

      Situation 1: After returning a book to a professor, a student says:

学生：ありがとうございました。  Arigatou gozaimashita.  (after receiving a favor)

Situation 5:  An office worker thanks his boss for her help:               

            会社員：ほんとにありがとうございました。  Hontoni arigatou gozaimashita.  (after receiving a favor)

Also see another set of examples:

When borrowing class notes to a friend (BEFORE/WHILE receiving a favor):

                      ありがとう。ほんとに助かる！  Arigatou.  Hontoni tasukaru!  ‘Thanks.  This is going to help me a lot.’

When returning the notes to the friend (AFTER receiving a favor):

                      ありがとう。ほんとに助かった。  Arigatou.  Hontoni tasukatta.  ‘Thanks.  This helped me a lot.’

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