But to thank someone for having done something, a clause with dass is required (see
8.1–2):Vielen Dank (dafür), dass Sie das Auto repariert haben.
Many thanks for mending the car.(c) Other ways to thank people informally include:Danke, das war doch wirklich nicht nötig.
Thanks, but it really wasn’t necessary.Es war sehr nett/freundlich von dir, uns einzuladen.
It was very nice/kind of you to invite us. See 42.3f (p. 115) for verb completion by infinitive clauses with zu; see also 8.7 (p. 13) for
word order.Wir wissen nicht, wie wir euch danken können.
We don’t know how we can thank you.(Es/das ist) nett, dass Sie an mich gedacht haben.
(It is) nice of you to think of me. See 38.1 (p. 90) for prepositional verbs.
Das ist/Ich finde das sehr lieb/freundlich (von Ihnen).
That is/I think that is very nice/kind (of you).And, slightly more formally:Das ist sehr liebenswürdig von Ihnen.
That is very kind of you.(d) Thanks to deity or to providence (often with no religious connotation) can be
expressed as follows:Gott sei Dank!
Thank God/heavens. See 39.5 (p. 97) for this subjunctive form.
Zum Glück ist nichts passiert.
Fortunately nothing happened.67.2 Thanking and expressing appreciation formally
(a) The verb sich (= acc.) bedanken is frequently used, particularly in written
communications (see also 67.3 on ‘Thanking in a formal letter’):Wir möchten uns bei Ihnen bedanken.
We would like to thank/express our thanks to you.
Ich bedanke mich herzlich/recht herzlich für Ihre Hilfe.
Thank you very much/most sincerely for your help.This expression would also be used in front of an audience; note the use of bei before
the person being thanked:Wir möchten uns bei Ihnen für Ihre Unterstützung bedanken.
We would like to thank you for your support.67
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