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JLPT N4Expressions

てくれてありがとう— Thank you for doing (gratitude for action)

Expresses gratitude for a specific action someone has done for you. "Thank you for [doing X]."

Grammar path · 練習

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A short lesson: the pattern, its sentence anatomy, a quick quiz and a sentence to build.

Pro lessonUNIT 89 · EXPRESSIONS

Structure · 形

[Verb te-form] + くれて + ありがとう(ございます)

Examples · 例文

  • 手伝ってくれてありがとう。

    Tetsudatte kurete arigatou.

    Thank you for helping me.

    手伝って + くれて (did for me) + ありがとう

  • 来てくれてありがとうございます。

    Kite kurete arigatou gozaimasu.

    Thank you for coming.

    来て + くれて + ありがとうございます (polite)

  • 誕生日にプレゼントを送ってくれてありがとう。

    Tanjoubi ni purezento o okutte kurete arigatou.

    Thank you for sending me a present for my birthday.

    送って + くれて (did for me) + ありがとう

Usage notes · 注意

  • Key Concept: More specific than just ありがとう — names the exact action someone did for you.
  • Detail: てもらってありがとう is also possible (emphasizing the receiving).
  • Summary: てくれてありがとうございました (past, formal) for thanking after an event.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones てくれてありがとう is tested against.

vs〜てもらってありがとう

てくれて frames it from the giver's side (they did it for me); てもらって frames it from the receiver's side (I received the favor). Both thank for the action; てくれて feels a touch warmer/more direct.

vs〜ていただきありがとうございます

てくれて is casual-to-neutral; 〜ていただきありがとうございます is the humble/keigo version for superiors or business settings.

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