Thread: Спасибо in English

Originally Posted by kozyablo

But when I speak English I cannot use this things... I don't know more than cool! great! WOW!

Let's not forget the words of Carly Simon -- "Baby, you're the best!":



(Not a great Bond film, по-моему, but the song was one of the greatest "Bond themes".)

Of course, you don't have to use the word "baby", but "Thanks, you're the best!" is a good colloquial way to express a strong спасибо when someone has given you a very nice gift, or has shown you great kindness.

Another way to express VERY strong thanks is "I'm blown away (by your kindness, by your thoughtful gift, etc.)" or "This (kindness, gift, etc.) blows me away" -- the basic literal meaning is something like "меня взорвало, как будто бомбой/гранат ом -ой" or possibly "меня унесло, как будто ураганом".

But you can use "Thank you, I'm absolutely blown away" or "Did I like your gift? Oh my god, it blew me away!!" to express the meaning "I feel such enormous gratitude and happiness that I have no words to express it."

Edited: Oops, взорвать гранатой (fem.) means "to blow up with a hand-grenade", but взорвать гранатом (masc.) means "to blow up with a pomegranate"!!

Throbert, it's been a very helpful explanation. To further elaborate on the matter, let me add that Indeed might have its rough equivalent in Russian; and that would be the word Непременно. This word seems to produce a roughly similar effect. Compare: Вы пойдете с нами? - Да, непременно. (Are you going with us? - Yes, indeed.). In this context the phrase would sound a bit formal, somewhat sophisticated. And, certainly, the word could be used and is, in fact, used to provide a comical effect. 

Let me offer a slight correction to у меня четырехлетний племянник абсолютно ОБОЖАЕТ это слово, и он всё время говорит. It's better to substitute the word 'просто' here for абсолютно, thus we have: у меня четырехлетний племянник просто ОБОЖАЕТ это слово, и он всё время говорит (this would sound stylistically better, the sense being fully retained). 

To use абсолютно, consider these example: Вы согласны со мной? - Да, абсолютно. (Do you agree with me? - Yes, absolutely). Он абсолютно ни в чем не виноват. - He is absolutely not guilty. 
So in Russian, абсолютно is mostly used to mean ' covering all, totally, completely '. While in that example with the nephew просто ОБОЖАЕТ sounds better. 

мальчик приобрел такую привычку со своего папы could be changed for он приобрел такую привычку со своего папы to sound more stylistically proper.

blown away is also great. Thanks for this! 

Originally Posted by Throbert McGee

Of course, you don't have to use the word "baby", but "Thanks, you're the best!" is a good colloquial way to express a strong спасибо when someone has given you a very nice gift, or has shown you great kindness.

КРУУУУУУТО!!!! СПАСИБО!!!

немного структурируем:
Thanks, you're the best!
I'm blown away (by your kindness, by your thoughtful gift, etc.) \ This (kindness, gift, etc.) blows me away \ Thank you, I'm absolutely blown away
I feel such enormous gratitude and happiness that I have no words to express it

This is funny way to say "Thank you" to your friends. Right?

Originally Posted by alexsms

мальчик приобрел такую привычку со своего папы could be changed for он приобрел такую привычку со своего папы to sound more stylistically proper.

I think a problem in this sentence in "приобрел со своего папы".
I see two ways = приобрел такую привычку у своего папы OR приобрел такую привычку от своего папы..
But you can say "со своего папы" when you speak: "он скопировал такую привычку со своего папы".
I just think)

well, yeah, i didn't notice the preposition. Он приобрел эту привычку от своего папы is better. (со своего папы is a mistake)