Japanese for Beginners: Responding to Compliments Gracefully
Learn to accept, deflect, or return compliments in Japanese with polite phrases for different formality levels. Build confidence in social situations.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
In Japanese, responding to compliments requires a balance of humility and politeness. Directly agreeing with a compliment can sound boastful, while ignoring it may seem rude. This lesson teaches you standard phrases to accept, deflect, or return compliments appropriately, from casual to formal settings. You'll learn set expressions and when to use them, so you can navigate compliments smoothly.
By the end, you can…
- accept a compliment politely using standard Japanese phrases.
- deflect a compliment modestly without seeming rude.
- return a compliment to the speaker appropriately.
- choose the right level of formality for different situations.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
ありがとうございます。
Thank you. (polite)
Arigatō gozaimasu.
A simple, polite way to accept a compliment. Suitable for most situations, especially with acquaintances or superiors. Note that ありがとうございます is the standard polite form; the casual form is ありがとう.
そんなことないです。
That's not true. / Not at all.
Sonna koto nai desu.
A modest deflection. Use when you want to downplay the compliment. It's polite and common. The casual version is そんなことないよ.
いえいえ、とんでもないです。
No, no, not at all. / You're too kind.
Ie ie, tondemonai desu.
Stronger deflection. Shows humility and can be used in formal contexts. とんでもないです literally means 'that's absurd/out of the question,' used here to reject praise.
お上手ですね。
You're very good at it, aren't you?
O-jōzu desu ne.
A compliment you can return. But note: this lesson is about responding, so use this to return a compliment when appropriate. お上手 (o-jōzu) is used to praise someone's skill; it is not used about oneself.
恐縮です。
I'm much obliged. / I'm flattered (and embarrassed by the praise).
Kyōshuku desu.
Formal and humble. Use in business settings when receiving praise from a superior. 恐縮です expresses a feeling of being humbled or overwhelmed by someone's kindness.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A common pattern for deflecting compliments is to use negative phrases that deny the praise. For example, 'そんなことないです' (Sonna koto nai desu) means 'That's not true.' You can also add 'まだまだです' (Mada mada desu) meaning 'I'm still not good enough.' These phrases show modesty. To accept, use 'ありがとうございます' (Arigatō gozaimasu). To return, say 'あなたこそ' (Anata koso) meaning 'You too,' or compliment back with 'お上手ですね' (O-jōzu desu ne). Note that 'あなた' (anata) can sound direct or even abrupt in Japanese; in many contexts it is more natural to use the person's name plus 'こそ' (e.g., '田中さんこそ').
When to use it
In casual settings with friends, you can use plain forms like 'そんなことないよ' (Sonna koto nai yo) or 'ありがとう' (Arigatō). With acquaintances or in business, use polite forms with 'です/ます' (desu/masu). For superiors, use humble expressions like '恐縮です' (Kyōshuku desu) or 'とんでもないです' (Tondemonai desu). When returning a compliment, be careful not to sound like you're bragging; keep it light and sincere. Note that 'あなたこそ' (anata koso) is acceptable but can sound slightly direct; using the person's name (e.g., '田中さんこそ') is often more natural.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
日本語がお上手ですね。
Your Japanese is very good.Nihongo ga o-jōzu desu ne.いえいえ、まだまだです。
No, no, I still have a long way to go.Ie ie, mada mada desu.そんなことないですよ。とても自然です。
That's not true. You're very natural.Sonna koto nai desu yo. Totemo shizen desu.ありがとうございます。嬉しいです。
Thank you. I'm happy to hear that.Arigatō gozaimasu. Ureshii desu.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese culture, modesty is highly valued. Accepting a compliment too directly can be seen as arrogant, so deflecting is common. However, completely denying a compliment might make the speaker uncomfortable. A balanced response like 'ありがとうございます。でもまだまだです' (Thank you. But I still have far to go) is often ideal. The appropriate response also depends on the relationship and setting; in formal situations, use more humble language. Note that these are general tendencies, not strict rules; individual and situational variation exists.
One thing to watch for
Responding to a compliment with 'いいえ、違います' (No, that's wrong) which can sound like you're correcting the person.
Try this instead: Use softer deflections like 'そんなことないです' (That's not true) or 'まだまだです' (I'm still not good enough). For example, if someone says 'お上手ですね' (You're good), reply 'いえいえ、そんなことないです' (No, no, that's not true).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Your boss says '素晴らしい仕事ですね' (Subarashii shigoto desu ne - Excellent work). How do you respond formally?
Show a sample answer
恐縮です。ありがとうございます。
This response is humble and polite, suitable for a superior. '恐縮です' expresses feeling honored, and 'ありがとうございます' thanks them. Other humble phrases like 'とんでもないです' are also acceptable.
2A friend says 'その服、かわいいね' (Sono fuku, kawaii ne - That outfit is cute). How do you respond casually?
Show a sample answer
ありがとう！
A simple 'ありがとう' is fine among friends. You could also deflect with 'そんなことないよ' (Sonna koto nai yo - Not really). Both are natural in casual settings.
3Someone compliments your cooking: '料理が上手ですね' (Ryōri ga jōzu desu ne). How do you return the compliment?
Show a sample answer
ありがとうございます。あなたもお上手ですね。
This accepts the compliment and returns it. 'あなたもお上手ですね' means 'You're good too.' Be sure to say it sincerely to avoid sounding insincere. Note that 'あなた' can sound direct; using the person's name (e.g., '田中さんもお上手ですね') is often more natural.
Remember to balance humility and gratitude when responding to compliments in Japanese. Use polite forms with acquaintances and superiors, and casual forms with friends. Deflecting with 'そんなことないです' or 'まだまだです' shows modesty, while 'ありがとうございます' accepts gracefully. Returning compliments is also appreciated when done sincerely.
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