Ta
What it really means
A very short, casual "thank you", common in the north of England. Often in texts: "got it, ta". "Ta-ra" (goodbye) is a different word.
Context, tips & common mistakes
Ta is 'thanks' compressed to two letters — brisk, warm, and heard constantly in the North especially, from shop counters to bus doors. 'Ta very much' and the playful 'ta muchly' extend it; 'ta-ra' (or 'ta-ra love') is the matching goodbye in Northern and Midlands speech. None of it is childish or sloppy; it is simply the informal register doing its job.
Use it where a full 'thank you' would feel heavy: taking your change, someone holding a door, a colleague passing the stapler. Keep it out of emails and anything formal. And when a bus driver, cashier or barman says 'ta, love' to you, the transaction has gone perfectly — nothing further required.