Thank You

One of the first things we want to know when we learn another language is how to say 'thank you'. We are in a situation where we would say 'thank you' in English, and we want to know how to say it in the language of that situation. We check the translation app on the phone, or ask someone. We are probably given a word, and that's what we learn to say.

Usually it all works well. But there are potential problems. We don't know how else the word is used beyond that situation. Nor do we know if people say 'thank you' for the kind of situations that we do in English. We don't really know how equivalent the 'thank yous' are.

March 1, 2016