Are you looking for a way to thank your hosts for a lovely evening? Instead of giving them a general "thank you," you could show appreciation to both of them by saying "thank you both." It's a more inclusive version of thank you and a great way to complement both of your hosts in a single sentence.
This post unpacks everything you need to know about the origin and meaning of this idiom and how to use it in conversation.
Meaning
"Thank you both," extends the common phrase "thank you." We use thank you for impressing our gratitude upon others for various reasons. By saying "thank you both," you're usually referring to a couple. For instance, if you go over to a friend's house and have dinner with him and his partner, you would say "Thank you both" when leaving the premises.
Saying "thank you both" shows that you understand that both of the people in the household contributed to the success of your visit, and you appreciate the efforts from both parties. The use of thank you dates back to the 14th century, and it's a shortening of the phrase "I thank you."
However, as the use of the English language progresses, we begin to add shortenings or terms and additional words in phrases to make the expression sound more pleasing to the ears. While "thank you both" is technically not a grammatically correct term, moist people understand what you are trying to say, and they will respond with "Our pleasure."
The shortening of words and phrases in the English language is nothing new, with some examples being "esquire" to "squire" and "God's truth" to the shorter version, "strewth."
Example Usage
"Thank you both so very much for the lovely gift."
"Thank you both so very much for all the help you give me every day."
"Thank you both for helping me paint my house."
"Thank you both for your support during this time."
"Thank you both for the generous donation to our charity."
Origin
If you grew up with respectable parents, they probably taught you the importance of manners at a young age to impress respect on you.
Manners are essential in society to show gratitude towards another person for what they do for you. Whether that's cooking dinner or inviting you over for a drink, using the term "thank you" is a polite way to ensure your guest knows you appreciate the offer and increase the chances that they'll invite you around again.
There is no official reference to when "thank you both" first appeared in English. However, people have been using thank you since at least the 1800s. Thank you also evolved into several colloquialisms, such as the English variant, "ta" or "cheers."
"Thank you both" is an old saying, and we can trace it back at least until the 1700s, when the term expressed gratitude to more than one person.
Phrases Similar to Thank You Both
- Thanks to both of you.
Phrases Opposite to Thank You Both
- Thanks for nothing.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Thank you both.
Ways People May Say Thank You Both Incorrectly
Some people may use "thank you both" to refer to inanimate objects or processes, and this is the incorrect use of the phrase. The phrase refers to thanking people, such as hosts. Technically, "Thank you both" is grammatically incorrect.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Thank You Both
"Thank you both" is a grammatically incorrect statement. When using "thank you both," the addition of the word "both" acts as the subject pronoun.