merci/mɛʁ.si/
interjection / noun · A1 · Frequency 148
interjection
Meanings
thank you
Used to express gratitude; a common polite expression.
(polite refusal) no, thank you; that's enough
Used to politely refuse or indicate no more is needed; common in everyday conversation.
Examples
Merci pour votre aide précieuse.
Thank you for your valuable help.
Merci, je prendrai un café sans sucre.
Thank you, I will have a coffee without sugar.
Merci d'avoir attendu devant la porte.
Thank you for waiting outside the door.
Collocations
- dire mercisay thank you
- merci beaucoupthank you very much
- non mercino, thank you
Common mistakes
Merci beaucoup de votre aide!
Merci beaucoup pour votre aide!
In French, 'thank you for [something]' requires the preposition 'pour', not 'de'; 'de' is a common calque error from English 'thank you for'.
Merci, je veux pas.
Non, merci.
In sense_02 (polite refusal), 'Non' or another negation must precede 'merci'; saying 'Merci' alone signals acceptance, leading to pragmatic misunderstanding.
Related words
synonymje vous remercieI thank you (more formal)
synonymc'est gentilThat's kind (acknowledging kindness)
antonymdésolésorry
nounfeminine
Meanings
mercy
Refers to forgiveness or compassion towards others, relatively formal usage.
Examples
Ce petit merci a beaucoup touché la bénévole.
This small thank-you touched the volunteer deeply.
Après son aide, elle a reçu un merci chaleureux.
After helping, she received a heartfelt thank-you.
Le soldat vaincu implora merci avant la fin du combat.
The defeated soldier begged for mercy before the end of the battle.
Collocations
- dire mercito say thank you
- à la merci deat the mercy of
Common mistakes
Il n’a montré aucune merci à ses ennemis.
Il n’a montré aucune pitié à ses ennemis.
The mercy sense of merci is mainly restricted to fixed expressions and cannot generally be used like English “mercy”; pitié is needed here.
Related words
synonymremerciementthanks (grateful feelings)
synonymgratitudegratitude
nounmasculine
Meanings
thanks
Commonly used as a fixed expression to express gratitude, usually used alone or in phrases such as “dire merci” (to say thank you).
Examples
Un simple merci a suffi pour lui faire plaisir.
A simple thank-you was enough to please him.
J'ai reçu un merci chaleureux après le service rendu.
I received a heartfelt thank-you after helping out.
Son merci sincère m'a donné envie de continuer à l'aider.
His sincere thank-you made me want to keep helping him.
Collocations
- dire mercito say thank you
Common mistakes
Merci est un verbe signifiant remercier.
Merci est un nom exprimant la gratitude.
Merci is a noun expressing gratitude, not a verb.
On peut dire merci pour demander quelque chose.
On dit merci pour exprimer la gratitude, pas pour demander quelque chose.
Merci is used to express thanks, not to make a request.
Related words
synonymremerciementthanks (grateful feelings)
nounmasculine
Meanings
thanks
Commonly used as a fixed expression to express gratitude, usually used alone or in phrases such as “dire merci” (to say thank you).
Examples
Après son aide, je lui ai adressé plusieurs mercis sincères.
After his help, I offered him several sincere thanks.
Les mercis des enfants ont beaucoup touché la bénévole.
The children's thanks deeply moved the volunteer.
Elle a reçu des mercis chaleureux de la part de toute l'équipe.
She received warm thanks from the whole team.