Compliments in Japanese
Translated from the Vietnamese original. View the original.
Compliments in Japanese
In this post we learn sentence patterns for giving compliments in Japanese.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
| イケメンですね | ikemendesune | You're so handsome |
| よくやった！ | Yoku yatta | You did a great job! |
| すばらしい履歴書ですね | Subarashii rirekisho desu ne | What an excellent CV! |
| 見た目より内面のほうがずっとすてきです | Mitame yori naimen no hō ga zutto suteki desu | What's inside (depth of character) is far more wonderful than outward appearance |
| きみをみてると、もっと自分を磨かなきゃって気持ちになります | Kimi o mite ru to, motto jibun o migakanakya tte kimochi ni narimasu | Every time I look at you, I feel I need to try even harder. |
| そのジャケット、似合っていますね | Sono jaketto, niatte imasu ne | That jacket really suits you. |
| 骨の折れるプロジェクトだったと思うけど、君のがんばりは私の期待以上でした | Hone no oreru purojekuto datta to omou kedo, kimi no ganbari wa watashi no kitai ijō deshita. | Even though it was hard and tiring, you did better than I expected |
| 頭いいですね！ | Atama ii desu ne! | You're really smart! |
| きみは最高の友達だよ。 | Kimi wa saikō no tomodachi da yo | You're the best friend ever! |
| 抜群のユーモアのセンスを持っているね。 | Batsugun no yūmoa no sensu o motte iru ne | You have a wicked sense of humour! |
| 笑顔が素敵です | Egao ga suteki desu. | Your smiling face is beautiful. |
| きみの作る料理が大好きです。 | Kimi no tsukuru ryōri ga daisuki desu | I really love the food you cook. |
| センスがいいね | Sensu ga ii ne | You have great taste |
| きまってるね。 | Kimatte ru ne. | That's settled then. |
| 話し上手だね。 | Hanashijōzu da ne. | You're such a good talker. |
Let's learn simple compliments in Japanese.
1. 笑顔 が 素敵 です。 (Egao ga suteki desu.)
Your smile is beautiful
2. あなたは とっても ハンサムなのよ (Anata wa tottemo hansamu na no yo.)
You look handsome!
3. あなたはとても綺麗だ (Anata wa totemo kireida)
You're so beautiful
4. きみの 作る 料理 が 大好き です。 (Kimi no tsukuru ryōri ga daisuki desu.)
I love the food you cook.
5. きみ は 最高の 友達 だよ。 (Kimi wa sa ikou no tomodachi da yo.)
You're truly a good friend.
6. きみは最高の友達だよ。 (Kimi wa saikō no tomodachi da yo.)
You're the best friend ever!
7. あなた は おもしろい！ (Anata wa omoshiroi)
You're so funny
8. 抜群のユーモアのセンスを持っているね。 (Batsugun no yūmoa no sensu o motte iru ne.)
You have a wicked sense of humour!
(抜群: outstanding, exceptional, remarkable)
9. 頭 いい ですね！ (Atama ī desu ne!)
You're so smart!
10. あなたと お話 が できうれしかったです！ (Anatato ohanashi ga deki ureshikatta desu)
Talking with you is fun!
11. あなたはとても よく やったわ (Anata wa totemo yoku yatta wa)
You did very well
12. あなた を 誇りに思う. (Anata wo hokori ni omou)
I'm proud of you
13. あなたはとても 勇敢だ. (Anata wa totemo yuukanda)
You're so brave
14. 私は あなた を 尊敬します (Watashi wa anata wo sonkei shimasu)
I respect you a lot
15. あなたは とっても 才能 がある (Anata wa tottemo sainou ga aru)
You're very talented.
16. あなた なら できる (Anata nara dekiru)
I knew you could do it.
17. そのドレス/トップ、すごく似合っているよ！ (That dress/top looks great on you!)
18. でかした、 でかした！ (Dekashita, dekashita.)
Well done, well done
19. 見た目より内面のほうがずっとすてきです。 (Mitame yori naimen no hō ga zutto suteki desu.): What's inside (depth of character) is far more wonderful than outward appearance (another Japanese saying with similar meaning: 花より団子 – hana yori dango).
20. センスがいいね. (Sensu ga ii ne.):
You have a great sense for things. (センス means feeling (感覚), used to describe the ability to perceive things others find hard to notice. For example, when eating a dish made with sugar or honey, people who can't tell the difference are called センスが悪い, while those who notice differences in taste, colour… are called センスがいい)
21. きまってるね。 (Kimatte ru ne.)
That's settled then. (きまる: to be decided. For example, when everyone is discussing something like “where to go tomorrow, how to get there” and after a while reaches a final decision, just as in English we say “agreed, let's do that”, in Japanese you say “きまってるね”.)
22. 話し上手だね。 (Hanashijōzu da ne.)
You're such a good talker. (this compliments someone who knows how to talk and communicates well)
23. 笑顔が素敵です。 (Egao ga suteki desu.): Your smiling face is beautiful.
24. きみの作る料理が大好きです。 (Kimi no tsukuru ryōri ga daisuki desu.): I really love the food you cook.
See also:
Practical Kaiwa for Work – Part 1
How to Respond to Compliments in Japanese