What Does It Mean When Someone Says “I Appreciate You”?

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Plus, learn why this heartfelt phrase is becoming trendy again

Co-authored by Eric McClure Reviewed by Janette Karaca

Last Updated: September 21, 2025 Fact Checked

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Meaning

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“Appreciate You” vs. “Appreciate It”

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Why is everyone saying it?

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Alternative Phrases

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Grammar

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Video

If you’ve noticed people saying “I appreciate you” instead of “thank you” lately, you aren’t alone. But what does this phrase really mean, and why is it becoming more common? We have the answers! Read on to learn what “I appreciate you” means, why it’s trending, and other expressions to use in its place.

“I Appreciate You” Overview

“I appreciate you” is a more expressive and authentic way of saying “thank you.” Unlike “I appreciate it,” which shows gratitude for an action, “I appreciate you” shows gratitude for a person. It’s gained traction with younger people who find “thanks” passive-aggressive, short, and easy to misinterpret as sarcasm.

Section 1 of 5:

“I Appreciate You” Meaning

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“I appreciate you” is a heartfelt way of saying “thank you.” “I appreciate you” is a more expressive and meaningful way to say “thanks.” Both are common expressions of gratitude, but appreciation implies a more intense feeling than mere thanks. “I appreciate you” shows that you value the person who’s helped you, not just that you’re grateful a favor or task was completed. For example, when someone does you a huge favor that inconveniences them, “I appreciate you” is more meaningful than a simple “thank you.”^{[1]
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Janette Karaca
English Language Teacher

Expert Interview}
- Origin: We don’t know for sure, but it’s suspected that “I appreciate you” as an expression of gratitude comes from the southern United States. “‘Preciate ya” has been a common southern idiom for some time.^{[2]
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- Fun fact: “Thank” comes from the Old English word “thinken,” which meant “to present something.” “Thank” and “think” are related to one another the way “song” and “sing” are!^{[3]
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“I appreciate you” is intended to be polite and warm. Some people are a little thrown off or weirded out by “I appreciate you” because it reads as a little too personal or emotional. As a result, some people assume it’s sarcasm or that there’s something they’re missing. Rest assured, the intention is genuinely positive. Nobody is trying to be snarky or presumptuous when they swap out “thank you” for “I appreciate you.”
- Is saying “I appreciate you” flirty? Not usually. It’s almost always meant to be polite and heartfelt. To be sure, look for other signs of flirting like playful eye contact, light touches, or relaxed, open body language.

Section 2 of 5:

“I Appreciate You” vs. “I Appreciate It”

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“I appreciate it” shows appreciation for an action or favor (not a person). “I appreciate it” is a more common alternative to “I appreciate you. “It” emphasizes the action or favor someone has done, while “you” emphasizes the person who helped you (and sounds more personal). As a result, a lot of people will opt for “I appreciate it” instead.
- Some suggest that people who say “I appreciate it” instead of “I appreciate you” are more task-oriented and organized, while the “I appreciate you” crowd is more playful and expressive.

Section 3 of 5:

Why is “I appreciate you” so popular now?

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The show Ted Lasso brought the phrase back into the zeitgeist. “I appreciate you” has been associated with an old-timey, folksy way of talking, but Ted Lasso—the popular show on Apple TV starring Jason Sudeikis—kind of brought it back into the spotlight. The titular character goes out of his way to say “I appreciate you” whenever he would normally say “thank you.”^{[4]
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- DJ Khaled also helped push things along with his iconic “I appreciate you” meme.
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It’s a sign of anxiety in the current social environment. Another reason “I appreciate you” is making a comeback stems from the times we’re living in. It’s hard to read tone over text or online, people are more hyperaware of how they’re coming off when they speak, and conversations around language have become more nuanced and complicated. As a result, a lot of people are scared of coming off as inexpressive or cold, so they opt for the more vibrant “I appreciate you” over the typical “thank you.”^{[5]
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- You see some of this behavior in a lot of social interactions these days. You might run into a friend who says something like, “We should catch up soon! I really mean it” or “I actually want to try that new tapas place.”
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Younger generations tend to over-analyze social conventions. There’s a massive disconnect when it comes to the thumbs-up emoji. Older generations think it’s a good substitute for “sounds good!” while zoomers and millennials think it’s kind of a passive-aggressive emoji.^{[6]
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Research source} “Thanks” is kind of the same thing. A lot of younger people just find the word kind of flippant and empty, so they use “I appreciate you” to emphasize that they’re actually thankful.
- It’s sort of like when people say “I like like you” when they’re talking to a crush, or how someone might say, “I literally, and I really mean literally, am having the worst day of my life.”

Section 4 of 5:

Alternatives to “I Appreciate You”

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There are plenty of good alternatives to “I appreciate you” that will communicate the same feeling without being so commonplace and trendy. You could try out:
- “I’m grateful for you.” To emphasize a behavior or favor that you appreciate, you could try “I’m grateful you did that” or “I’m grateful for that” instead.^{[7]
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- “I’m lucky to have you around.” This is a great one if you’re expressing thanks to a friend, family member, or peer at work.
- “Much obliged.” It’s fun, unique, and a blast to say. It also makes you sound like you’re a time traveler from the 1800s.
- “You’re amazing.” This flips the object of the compliment around. “I appreciate you” is all about how you feel, while “you’re amazing” is all about how cool the other person is.
- “Cheers.” It’s not particularly deep or expressive, but it’s a joyful way to salute someone for their service!
- “It means a lot to me.” This is a good option if the person went above and beyond to do something meaningful for you.
- “I am forever indebted to you.” It’s a touch sarcastic, but that’s kind of what makes it fun. Bonus points for pulling this one out over minor favors.
- “I owe you one.” If the other person did something for you, say thank you by offering to return the favor.

Section 5 of 5:

Is “I appreciate you” grammatically correct?

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Yes, “I appreciate you” is grammatically correct. At its simplest, “I” is the noun, “appreciate” is the verb, and “you” is the object, making a complete sentence. However, there are some grammar prescriptivists out there who point out as a transitive verb, the object of “appreciate” is never a person. You appreciate the thing the person does. So, if a friend buys you coffee, you should technically say, “I appreciate the coffee” or “I appreciate it.”^{[8]
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- Some say this is just an example of a “conversational ellipsis”—a maneuver in English where you leave out an unnecessary word or phrase because the context is obvious. For example, you might say, “Coffee?” instead of “Want to get coffee?” Nothing about this would be grammatically incorrect.