Breakdown of Vielen Dank! Das ist sehr gut.
sein
to be
sehr
very
gut
good / well
Vielen Dank
many thanks (warmer, more formal than danke)
Questions & Answers about Vielen Dank! Das ist sehr gut.
Why is it Vielen Dank and not just Viele Dank?
Dank is a masculine noun in German. The phrase Vielen Dank is actually a shortened version of a longer sentence like 'I give you many thanks'. Because it is the direct object of that hidden sentence, it takes the accusative case, changing the ending to -en. For now, it is perfectly fine to just memorize Vielen Dank as a set phrase!
Why is Dank capitalized here?
In German, all nouns (words for people, places, things, and ideas) are always capitalized. While 'thank' is often a verb in English, Dank is a noun in German, literally meaning 'thanks' or 'gratitude'.
Could I say Es ist sehr gut instead of Das ist sehr gut?
Yes, you could. Es ist sehr gut means 'It is very good'. However, using Das means 'That' and makes your statement slightly stronger and more specific. It points directly to the exact thing or situation you are reacting to.