The regular regular response is to humbly deflect. For example a well received, formal reply to someone commenting your japanese with the standard 日本語は上手ですね would be something likeいいえいいえ、まだまだです
You can express your gratitude in「やったぁ！うれしいです」「おほめにあずかり、光栄です」. These are one of friendly, funny replies.
It is not that fixed. If someone tells you you have good Japanese いいえ、まだまだです is a safe, polite, formulaic reply. But you could reply 日本で留学したことがありますので (I’ve done study abroad in Japan, so…) or even just like どうも and people aren’t going to be scandalized. Or that’s my experience.
You can simply say ありがとうございます.
Personally I’ve grown to dislike the deflection thing, and would rather just say thank you, or reply with a compliment in kind. I find I would reflexively make a little head-bow if i’m speaking japanese.
We do deflection in the uk too and i find it can sometimes come across as insincere.
When I surprise and speak to Japanese guests and they compliment me on how good my Japanese is I always reply with「本当に？確かに」 and that usually gets a good laugh out of them. I usually say with either a serious look or a smile and they understand the humor. 😁
“いいえ“ and then bow 23 times
You shouldn’t accept it.
いやいや
だろう〜 and walk away.
If you want to produce an impression, something like お褒めに預かりまして恐縮です will fit the purpose.
11 comments
The regular regular response is to humbly deflect. For example a well received, formal reply to someone commenting your japanese with the standard 日本語は上手ですね would be something likeいいえいいえ、まだまだです
You can express your gratitude in「やったぁ！うれしいです」「おほめにあずかり、光栄です」. These are one of friendly, funny replies.
It is not that fixed. If someone tells you you have good Japanese いいえ、まだまだです is a safe, polite, formulaic reply. But you could reply 日本で留学したことがありますので (I’ve done study abroad in Japan, so…) or even just like どうも and people aren’t going to be scandalized. Or that’s my experience.
You can simply say ありがとうございます.
Personally I’ve grown to dislike the deflection thing, and would rather just say thank you, or reply with a compliment in kind. I find I would reflexively make a little head-bow if i’m speaking japanese.
We do deflection in the uk too and i find it can sometimes come across as insincere.
When I surprise and speak to Japanese guests and they compliment me on how good my Japanese is I always reply with「本当に？確かに」
and that usually gets a good laugh out of them. I usually say with either a serious look or a smile and they understand the humor. 😁
“いいえ“ and then bow 23 times
You shouldn’t accept it.
いやいや
だろう〜 and walk away.
If you want to produce an impression, something like お褒めに預かりまして恐縮です will fit the purpose.