ačiū
Thanking
Ačiū! means Thank you! Say labai ačiū for thank you very much.
How It Works
Ačiū for everyone. Ačiū works with friends, strangers and officials. Dėkui means exactly the same and is just as correct.
Making it stronger. Put labai (very) in front: Labai ačiū! For even more thanks, say Labai labai ačiū! or Nuoširdžiai ačiū! (heartfelt thanks). Labai ačiū is the usual word order.
Saying what for. Use už with the accusative: Ačiū už kavą (Thanks for the coffee), Labai ačiū už pagalbą (Thank you very much for your help).
The formal verb. Dėkoju (I thank) and dėkojame (we thank) sound more formal and appear in speeches and letters. The person you thank is in the dative: Dėkoju jums, Dėkoju mamai. See verbs that take the dative.
Answering thanks. Say Prašom! (You are welcome!) or Nėra už ką! (Don’t mention it!). See prašau and prašom.
With a name. A name after ačiū takes its calling form: Ačiū, Tomai! See the vocative.
Examples (6)
- Ačiū! — Prašom.
Thank you! — You’re welcome.
Prašom is the usual reply to thanks.
- Labai ačiū už pagalbą.
Thank you very much for your help.
Word by Word: Very thanks for help.
Už takes the accusative: pagalba becomes pagalbą.
- Ačiū, Rūta!
Thanks, Rūta!
Ačiū is the same for everyone.
- Dėkoju jums.
Thank you.
Word by Word: I-thank to-you.
A more formal thank you. Jums is the dative of jūs.
- Ačiū už kavą. — Nėra už ką.
Thanks for the coffee. — Don’t mention it.
Word by Word: Thanks for coffee. — There-is-not for what.
Nėra už ką is another common reply to thanks.
- Ačiū, gerai. O tau?
Fine, thanks. And you?
Word by Word: Thanks, well. And to-you?
The usual answer to Kaip sekasi?
Common Mistakes
Translating “a big thank you” word for word.
Didelis ačiū!Labai ačiū!Language advisers treat didelis ačiū as a word-for-word copy of another language. In Lithuanian, stronger thanks use labai: labai ačiū.
Putting the person after dėkoju in the accusative.
Dėkoju jus.Dėkoju jums.Dėkoti takes the dative. The person you thank is jums, mamai, draugui.
Using the genitive after už.
Ačiū už kavos.Ačiū už kavą.Už meaning “for” takes the accusative: kava becomes kavą.
Related Patterns
- prašau / prašomPlease and You Are Welcome
How to reply to thanks with prašom.
Level 1 - už + accusativeFor and in Exchange for with Už
Ačiū už kavą: už takes the accusative.
Level 2 - padėti / dėkoti / skambinti + dativeVerbs That Take the Dative
Dėkoti puts the person in the dative.
Level 2 - atsiprašauSorry and Excuse Me
The other key polite word: sorry and excuse me.
Level 1 - kaip sekasiHow Are You
Ačiū, gerai is the usual answer.
Level 1 - Vocative Address
A name after ačiū takes its calling form.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice ačiū in Bubblegum
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