English, baby!

thanks a million

Date: Apr 16 2009

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“I understand that your gratitude is extreme, but instead of thanking me a million times, you could just say, thanks a million.”

Beren in response to Jason following her around and thanking her.

2. Video - Watch the video before learning the definition.

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

thank you very much, thanks a lot

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

Sometimes saying “thanks” isn’t enough. When someone really helps you or does you a big favor and you have no way to help them back right then, the word “thanks” can feel pretty weak.

Beren lent Jason her car and some money and got him a job interview. He’s so grateful that he doesn’t know what to do with himself, so he puts on his EXTREME English, baby! helmet and starts following Beren around thanking her.

Naturally, Beren is a little annoyed, so she asks Jason if he knows the phrase thanks a million. It’s a lot easier than saying thanks a million times! So Jason says thanks a million to Beren and to each of the one million members of English, baby!

Thanks a million can also be used sarcastically. You might hear someone sitting alone in a restaurant say over the phone, “You mean you’re going to be late and I’ll be paying for dinner? Wow, thanks a million.” If someone causes you to have to do something you don’t want to do, you can make a joke by saying thanks a million.

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

“I can’t believe you’re giving me your car. Thanks a million!”

“Oh I see, you were late to dinner and you’re making me pay? Well, thanks a million.”

“Thanks for giving me another chance. I really mean it. Thanks a million.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

	very grateful by VOLTS
	when someone is really grateful says that by aztlid
	A way to say I am really thankful and appreciative. by egyptophile
	I think "thanks a million" means thanks very very very much.I suppose there is no matter to use "thanks a million" or thanks very mach.Thats my opinion:) by Sky is my life...
	Thank you much! by Tusik
	u r really thankful for sumthing u wanna say it many times lol by alogigi
	be very grateful by Gellerke
	It shows how grateful you're by East-Bird
	thanks a lot...very big thank by Liaa
	Thanks a million!, thank you very much!, I appreciate it very much! by Eydo
	it means someone do you a big favor and you really aprreciate him or her; thanks very much by CatherineVanilla

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Comments

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michael88

China

a very interesting phrase.

in China, we use "非（fei)常(chang)感(gan)谢(xie)" or "万(wan)分(fen)感(gan)谢(xie)" to express our grateful sensibility.

"感(gan)谢(xie)" means "thanks" and "非（fei)常(chang)" means "very much" and "万(wan)分(fen)" means "a million". It is very interesting that "万(wan)" like the word "million" is also a numeral.