How to Say "Thank You" in 20 Languages From Movies and Games
In Game of Thrones, the Dothraki have no word for "thank you." Neither, originally, did Klingon. That wasn't an oversight — it was a design choice that says volumes about both cultures.
Gratitude is a surprisingly powerful world-building tool. Here's how to say "thank you" in 20 languages from movies, games, and history — including the ones that refuse to say it.
The Counterintuitive Truth: The Missing Word Is the Most Interesting One
A language's missing words can be more revealing than its existing ones. When a culture has no "thank you", it's telling you how its people relate to each other.
For the Dothraki, giving and taking are simply part of life, and gifts are expected rather than thanked. For Klingons, gratitude is shown through actions and loyalty. We call this meaningful absence: a deliberately missing word that exposes a culture's values.
The Languages That (Mostly) Don't Say It
1. Dothraki — No word for "thank you"
David J. Peterson made this choice on purpose, and it's become one of the most quoted facts about the language. In the show, characters express appreciation through actions or respect instead.
Try your own thanks anyway: Dothraki Translator
2. Klingon — qatlho'
For years, Klingon had no standard way to say thanks. Later canon added qatlho', usually glossed as "I appreciate you." Many Klingon fans still joke that a real Klingon would never say it.
Fantasy Languages
3. High Valyrian — Kirimvose
Unlike the Dothraki, the Valyrians say thank you — elegantly.
4. Sindarin — Le hannon
"I thank you." Built from Tolkien's word hannon (I thank). Commonly used by Tolkien fans.
5. Quenya — Hantanyel
A Neo-Quenya form, meaning "I thank you."
6. Dovahzul — Kogaan
Often translated as "blessing" or "thanks" in dragon tongue.
7. Black Speech
The orcs of Mordor aren't known for politeness. Try it anyway and see how rough gratitude sounds.
Sci-Fi Languages
8. Na'vi — Irayo
One of the first Na'vi words fans learn.
9. Mando'a — Vor entye
"I accept a debt." Mandalorians see gratitude as an obligation — you owe something back.
10. Vulcan
Vulcans might simply state that your assistance was "logical and appreciated." Emotion not required.
11. Yoda — "Thank you, I do"
12. R2-D2 — Happy whistle
Animation and Games
13. Minionese — Tank yu!
14. Groot — I am Groot
Said with gratitude, of course.
15. NPC Speak — "You have my gratitude, adventurer."
The classic RPG quest-completion line.
Historical Languages
16. Old English — Ic þancie þē
The ancestor of "I thank thee." The noun þanc originally meant "thought" — to thank someone was to remember them.
17. Old Norse — Þakka þér
Modern Icelandic still uses Takk and Þakka þér.
Write it in runes: Viking Runes
18. Shakespearean — Gramercy / I thank thee
Gramercy comes from Old French grant merci — "great thanks."
Internet and Modern Speak
19. Gen Alpha — "W, fr fr"
Gratitude, internet-style.
20. Corporate Speak — "I appreciate your partnership in driving this outcome."
Gratitude Word Origins: A Mini Pattern
Look across real and fictional languages and you'll see gratitude words often come from one of three ideas:
| Root idea | Example |
|---|---|
| Thinking / remembering | English thank (from þanc, thought) |
| Grace / favour | Spanish gracias, Shakespearean gramercy |
| Debt / obligation | Mando'a vor entye, Portuguese obrigado ("obliged") |
Karen Traviss, who created Mando'a, clearly chose the "debt" model to match Mandalorian honour culture. It's the same logic real Portuguese speakers use every day.
Why Gratitude Is Good World-Building
Language creators use gratitude words to answer quiet but important questions:
- Is this culture hierarchical? (Formal thanks.)
- Is it transactional? (Debt-based thanks.)
- Is it communal? (No thanks needed.)
A single phrase — or its absence — can replace pages of cultural description.
Where This Is Heading
Fans keep requesting polite phrases for conlangs because they want to use them in real conversations. We predict creators will keep adding everyday courtesy words to languages that originally lacked them — just as Klingon eventually gained qatlho'. Fictional cultures may start fierce, but their fan communities make them polite.