# תודה



## dcx97

Hello,

I just came across the following conversation:

X: boker tov, shirli.
Y: ma shlomkha, dan?
X: kakha, kakha.
Y: ma khadash?
X: ani lomed ivrit beasimil. at shota te?
Y: toda.

What did Y mean when she said "תודה"? Did she mean "No, thank you."?


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## shalom00

It would usually mean, "Yes, thank you."


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## dcx97

That's really weird because my textbook translates it as "Merci.", which in French means "No, thank you."
See the attachment.


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## shalom00

Both merci and תודה mean "Thank you".

Whether "Thank you" means yes or no is cultural rather than linguistic.

In two different cultures, the same word could be a compliment in one and an insult in another.


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## aavichai

if she said just תודה
it means Yes, thank you

if she didn't want to, then she would say
לא תודה
no thank you


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## ADoA

I must agree with shalom about it being a cultural thing. I'm a native speaker, but if someone had just said "thank you" to me, I would have to ask for an explanation or have to make a guess based on body language or tone. It'd be just too ambiguous... and if I can be honest, probably a little dumb and definitely unnecessary.


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## elroy

dcx97 said:


> "Merci.", which in French means "No, thank you."


 No, it doesn't.  "No, thank you" is "non, merci."


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## dcx97

That's not what I've been told. I explicitly remember studying in French (and German) class that "Merci" (or "Danke" in the case of German) as a reply to something offered to you means "No, thanks." I along with the rest of the class was stunned.


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## elroy

dcx97 said:


> I explicitly remember studying in French (and German) class that "Merci" (or "Danke" in the case of German) as a reply to something offered to you means "No, thanks." I along with the rest of the class was stunned.


 I'm very skeptical.  @JClaudeK?  @berndf?


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## ADoA

Found this in a book called Travellers' Colloquial French:


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## JClaudeK

elroy said:


> "No, thank you" is "non, merci."


I agree with elroy, that's what people use to say. 

However:
If, at table, you don't want to be served any more, you  could possibly  say just "Merci" but only if you a accompany it with the appropriate gesture.


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