arigatou gouzaimasu / arigatou gouzaimashita

[WhiteDay]

Hello there!
I'm new, with the glad for I have found this forum !

First thing that I wanna ask is the differences between "arigatou gozaimasu" and "arigatou gozaimashita" . I want to know when to use them. I know that they're present and past tense but I always get confused when I wanna say thank you.

Arigato gouzaimasu(mashita) !

PS: sorry if this question was asked before, I don't know.

[JohnBraden]

Isn't the first one just a thank you and the second a thank you for a service provided?

[WhiteDay]

Originally Posted by JohnBraden

Isn't the first one just a thank you and the second a thank you for a service provided?

I know that the second one is for service provided , but I wanna make sure if there are any differences else.

Waiting for comments

[sansa]

Its difference is not a big deal.

when you are confused by which to use, you use only arigatou gozaimasu and everything is oK.

I know this is not what you want. But you don't need to think it difficulty.Just use arigatou or arigatou gozaimasu

[Qayin]

I only heard arigatou gozaimashita only in the restaurant or the shop.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by WhiteDay

Hello there!
I'm new, with the glad for I have found this forum !

First thing that I wanna ask is the differences between "arigatou gozaimasu" and "arigatou gozaimashita" . I want to know when to use them. I know that they're present and past tense but I always get confused when I wanna say thank you.

Arigato gouzaimasu(mashita) !

PS: sorry if this question was asked before, I don't know.

Use the search function. I know this question was just answered two or three days ago in great detail by Sashimister.

[Maxful]

I believe this is the answer WhiteDay is searching for.

http://www.japanforum.com/forum/japa...%E3%81%A4.html

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by Maxful

I believe this is the answer WhiteDay is searching for.

http://www.japanforum.com/forum/japa...%E3%81%A4.html

Close.

Up in the top-right of any specific post is the text "permalink." Copy the link there and you can link directly to a specific post.

Here's the post I'm talking about: http://www.japanforum.com/forum/japa...tml#post829652

[quote=Sashimister]

Originally Posted by student95

Then since ありがとございます is in future tense - and it is unsuitable for use to thank people when they will deliver the service - what is the appropriate way of using it? [/student]

You use it when someone did something for you just now.
You dropped a pen and I picked it up.
You asked me where the post office was and I answered.
You asked for the salt and I tossed it to you.

Exceptions:
If a job that has taken me a more than a few minutes to perform has just finished now, you must say ありがとうございました. The 3 examples above were done in a matter of seconds, so it's different.

Finally, if someone offers to do something at a future time, you say ありがとうございます. Future times include "tonight", "this weekend", "when I have some time", etc.