고맙다 vs 감사하다
Korean word comparison
Listen to 고맙다
Listen to 감사하다
| 고맙다 | 감사하다 |
|---|---|
go-MAP-da adjective | gamsahada adjective |
| to be thankful; to feel grateful | to be thankful; to feel or express gratitude (standard/formal) |
How they differ
감사하다 is the Sino-Korean, more formal equivalent of 고맙다 and is used more often in polite, written, or official contexts; 고맙다 feels more native, warm, and conversational. In nuance, 감사하다 often emphasizes the act of expressing appreciation, while 고맙다 can emphasize the speaker's personal feeling.
When to use each
When to use 고맙다: Prefer 고맙다 when speaking casually or to someone close to express a warm, personal thank-you.
When to use 감사하다: Prefer 감사하다 in formal situations, polite speech, written messages, or when you want a neutral/polite tone.
Side-by-side examples
- 도와줘서 고맙다.
(Thank you for helping me.) - 도와줘서 감사하다.
(I appreciate your help.)
Register & nuance: 감사하다 is more formal and standard (common in polite speech and writing); 고맙다 is more colloquial and feels warmer in informal contexts.
- See the full Word of the Day entry for 고맙다
- See the Word of the Day entry for 감사하다
- Back to today's Korean word