Grateful, not greatful: Unless you think God needs a grammar lesson!

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Have you ever come across someone who says, “I’m so greatful to God”? Or maybe you’ve posted something on social media like, “Greatful for another day!”? Well, my friend, it’s time to grab your cup of tea because we’re diving into why you should be grateful and not greatful!

Let’s start with the basics: grateful and greatful sound the same when you say them, but they’re not the same at all when you write them. In fact, greatful doesn’t exist in the English language. Yep, it’s not a real word—it’s like trying to eat soup with a fork. It might seem close, but it just doesn’t work.

What does “grateful” mean?

The word grateful means to feel thankful or appreciative for something. For example:

• “I’m grateful for my family.”
• “She’s grateful for the opportunity to learn English.”
• “We’re all grateful that the weekend is here!”

Notice how it’s spelled: G-R-A-T-E-F-U-L. Let me break it down for you.

• The “grate” part comes from an old Latin word that means “thankful.”
• The “ful” part is just like the “-ful” in other words like “beautiful” or “hopeful.”

So, when you’re grateful, it means your heart is full of thanks—not greatness.

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But what about “great”?

Ah, “great” is a completely different word! It means something big, awesome, or excellent. For example:

• “You did a great job!”
• “This food tastes great.”
• “She has a great sense of humor.”

Notice how there’s no “ful” added to it. You can’t just slap “ful” onto great and create greatful. That’s like putting sugar in your soup—it’s confusing and not very tasty.

Why do people mix them Up?

It’s easy to mix up “grateful” and “great” because they sound alike and both have positive vibes. But remember, just because they’re friendly neighbors in your mind doesn’t mean they’re roommates. Grateful is about giving thanks, while great is about being awesome.

A little trick to remember

Here’s a tip to help you remember:

• When you feel grateful, you’re giving thanks, just like when you grate cheese—it’s a process. Think of your gratitude as finely grated cheese sprinkled on the pizza of life!
• When you think of great, think of something big, like a great mountain or a great party.

Funny situations to avoid

Imagine this: You’re texting your friend and want to say, “I’m so grateful for you.” But you accidentally write, “I’m so greatful for you.” Now your friend might think you’re saying, “I’m so awesome for you.” They’ll probably reply, “Well, aren’t you full of yourself today!”

Or worse, you post on social media: “Greatful to God for all the blessings!” People might start wondering if you’re calling God “great” instead of thanking Him. That could spark a whole theological debate you didn’t sign up for.

In Conclusion

When you’re writing about being thankful, always use grateful. Let great be great on its own, and keep greatful in the “never to be used” pile.

So, the next time you’re tempted to write “greatful,” stop and remember: You’re grateful to God, not greatful. And for that little lesson, you can be grateful to me! 😊