Exercise 7: Compliment Response Strategies

Summary of Strategies for Responding to Compliments

 1. Accepting

Thanking

（どうも）ありがとう（ございます）。  (Doumo) arigatou (gozaimasu).  ‘Thank you (so) (very much).’

Agreeing/upgrading

なかなかいいでしょう。  Nakanaka ii desyou.  ‘Isn’t it quite good?’

私も気にいっています。  Watashimo kini itte imasu.  ‘I like it, too.’

僕も実はそう思うんですよ。  Bokumo jitsuwa sou omoun desuyo.  ‘I actually think so, too.’

Providing positive comments

そう言っていただけると嬉しいです。Sou itte itadakeruto ureshii desu.  ‘I’m glad to hear that.’

よかった。  Yokatta.  ‘I’m glad.’

            (just smile gladly)

2. Deflecting

Questioning

            そう（ですか）？  Sou(desuka)?  ‘Is that so?’

            ほんとに？  Hontoni?

本当にそう思われますか？  Hontoni sou omoware masuka?  ‘Do you really think so?’

            そうかなあ。  Sou kanaa?  ‘I wonder if that’s true.’

            どうでしょうねぇ。  Dou desyounee.  ‘I don’t know (if that’s true.)’

Returning a compliment

・    ・・さんだってすごいじゃない。  …san date sugoi janai.  ‘You are great, too, ….’

Offering background information

これは去年買ったんだ。  Korewa kyonen kattanda.  ‘I bought it last year.’

Shifting credit to others

誕生日に友達がくれたの。  Tanjoubini tomodachiga kuretano.  ‘A friend of mine gave it to me on my birthday.’

Expressing surprise

            え？  E?   ‘What/Excuse me?’

Downgrading

            これね、古いんですよ。  Korene, furuin desuyo.  ‘This is old.’

            姉のお下がりなんですけどね。  Aneno osagari nandesu kedone.  ‘Oh, really?  It’s an old thing my sister used to own.’

Providing no answer or shifting topics

               ところで、・・・さんはどうしてる？  Tokorode, …sanwa dou shiteru?  ‘By the way, how is …?’

Making a joke         

君の目がどうかしたんじゃないか？  Kimino mega douka shitanja naika?  ‘There appears to be something wrong with your eyes.’

3. Refusing

Disagreeing with a compliment

            いえいえ・いやいや。Ieie/Iyaiya.  ‘No, no.’

  ‘No, no.’

            とんでもない。  Tondemo nai.  ‘Not at all.’

            まさか、そんな。  Masaka sonna.  ‘No way.’

大したこと・ものじゃないんです。  Taishita koto/monoja nain desu.  ‘That’s nothing special.’

             そんなことない（んです）。  Sonna koto nai(ndesu).  ‘That’s not true.’

Doubting the sincerity of compliments

冗談でしょ。  Joudan desyo.  ‘You are kidding me.’

またまたそんなお世辞言って。  Mata mata sonna oseji itte.  ‘You are flattering me again.’