Korean: Expressing Deeper Gratitude Beyond 기본 Thank You
Learn Korean phrases to go beyond a simple thank you: express sincere appreciation for a favor, a gift, or for someone letting you know something. Includes 알려 주셔서 감사합니다 and 시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다 with register notes.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
You already know 감사합니다 and 고맙습니다. But sometimes a plain thank you feels too small—when someone goes out of their way, shares important news, or gives you their time. Korean has natural patterns for these moments. This lesson teaches you to say thank you for letting me know and thank you for your time, plus a few other ways to express deeper gratitude. You'll learn the exact phrases, when to use each, and how to respond in a short conversation.
By the end, you can…
- thank someone for letting me know in Korean using 알려 주셔서 감사합니다.
- thank someone for their time in Korean using 시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
알려 주셔서 감사합니다.
Thank you for letting me know.
al-lyeo ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da
Use when someone has informed you of something important. Polite and safe for most situations.
시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다.
Thank you for your time.
si-gan nae ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da
Use when someone has spent time on you, e.g., a meeting, an interview, or helping you.
정말 감사합니다.
I really appreciate it.
jeong-mal gam-sa-ham-ni-da
Adds emphasis to a standard thank you. Works for favors or gifts.
정말 친절하시네요.
That's so kind of you.
jeong-mal chin-jeol-ha-si-ne-yo
A warm response to a kind act. Often used after someone helps you.
신경 써 주셔서 감사합니다.
Thank you for caring / for looking out for me.
sin-gyeong sseo ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da
Use when someone has paid attention to your needs or gone out of their way.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern -아/어 주셔서 감사합니다 means 'thank you for doing [verb] for me.' Attach it to a verb stem: 알려 주셔서 감사합니다 (thank you for letting me know), 도와주셔서 감사합니다 (thank you for helping). The 주셔서 part shows the action was a favor to you. For 'thank you for your time,' use the set phrase 시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다. Here 내 is the verb 내다 (to give/offer), so literally 'thank you for giving your time.'
When to use it
Use 알려 주셔서 감사합니다 when someone shares news, a deadline, or a change of plans. Use 시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다 when someone has set aside time for you—after a meeting, an interview, or a long conversation. 정말 감사합니다 and 정말 친절하시네요 are more general and can follow a gift or a kind gesture. All are polite and safe with strangers, colleagues, or elders. For close friends, you can drop -시- and say 알려 줘서 고마워 or 시간 내 줘서 고마워.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
민수 씨, 회의 시간이 바뀐 거 알려 주셔서 감사합니다.
Minsu, thank you for letting me know the meeting time changed.min-su ssi, hoe-ui si-gan-i ba-kkwin geo al-lyeo ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da별말씀을요. 시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다.
Don't mention it. Thank you for your time.byeol-mal-sseum-eul-lyo. si-gan nae ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da아니에요, 정말 친절하시네요.
No, that's so kind of you.a-ni-e-yo, jeong-mal chin-jeol-ha-si-ne-yo천만에요. 또 알려 드릴게요.
You're welcome. I'll let you know again next time.cheon-man-e-yo. tto al-lyeo deu-ril-ge-yoA little context goes a long way
Korean gratitude often includes acknowledging the other person's effort or time. Using 알려 주셔서 감사합니다 or 시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다 shows you noticed their action, not just the result. With close friends, the same ideas are expressed more casually with 고마워 instead of 감사합니다, and you may drop the honorific -시-. When in doubt, the polite -시- forms are safe.
One thing to watch for
Saying 알려 주셔서 고마워요 to a boss or stranger.
Try this instead: Use the polite form 알려 주셔서 감사합니다 with bosses, elders, or strangers. 고마워요 is fine with friends or people you know well, but 감사합니다 is safer in formal situations.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you thank a colleague for telling you about a schedule change?
Show a sample answer
알려 주셔서 감사합니다.
This directly means 'thank you for letting me know.' You could also add the topic: 일정 변경을 알려 주셔서 감사합니다. Both are correct.
2What phrase would you use to thank someone for spending time with you?
Show a sample answer
시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다.
This is the standard polite phrase for thanking someone for their time. A casual alternative with friends is 시간 내 줘서 고마워.
3How can you say 'That's so kind of you' after someone helps you?
Show a sample answer
정말 친절하시네요.
This expresses warm appreciation for a kind act. You could also say 정말 감사합니다, but 친절하시네요 specifically compliments the person's kindness.
To go beyond a simple thank you, use 알려 주셔서 감사합니다 for letting you know, and 시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다 for someone's time. Add 정말 for extra warmth, and switch to 고마워 with close friends.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Korean into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr