「Ieie」- The 'Double Humility' Master Trick You Must Know!

Hello everyone, warriors who have lived and worked in Japan for a long time! You've surely heard the Japanese use 「いえいえ」(ieie) a lot, but you may not have fully harnessed its power. It's not just 'No, no'. This is a communication 'weapon' that expresses humility and softens relationships very effectively.

Let's break down in which situations the Japanese use it! 👇

1. When responding to an apology 🙏

When someone does something minor and profusely apologizes to you, for example, dropping your documents and saying:「あっ、すみません！」(Ah, sorry!).

• ❌ A slightly 'stiff' reaction:「大丈夫です」(Daijoubu desu - I'm fine/It's okay). This isn't wrong, but it sounds like you are 'granting' them forgiveness for a real mistake.
• ✅ A native-like reaction:「いえいえ、大丈夫ですよ」(Ieie, daijoubu desu yo - Oh no, no, it's okay). Adding「いえいえ」before is like you're saying: 'It's not a big deal enough for you to apologize'. It immediately negates the other person's 'fault', making them feel much more relieved.

2. When responding to a compliment 🏆

When your boss or a colleague praises you:「〇〇さん、日本語お上手ですね！」(Mr./Ms. 〇〇, your Japanese is so good!).

• ❌ A slightly 'less humble' reaction:「ありがとうございます！」(Arigatou gozaimasu! - Thank you!). Just saying thank you can sometimes be seen as you fully accepting the compliment (even if it's true 😅).
• ✅ A super nuanced reaction:「いえいえ、そんなことないです。まだまだです」(Ieie, sonna koto nai desu. Madamada desu - Not at all, I'm still not very good).「いえいえ」here is a humble way to deny the compliment, a 'cultural reflex' of the Japanese. It shows you are not arrogant and are always striving to improve.

3. When responding to a thank you 👋

When you help someone with a small task and they say:「助かりました！ありがとうございます！」(That was a big help! Thank you so much!).

• ❌ A slightly 'textbook' reaction:「どういたしまして」(Douitashimashite - You're welcome). This is 100% grammatically correct but in daily conversation it's quite formal and rarely used.
• ✅ An everyday reaction:「いえいえ」(Ieie). Just this one word is enough to replace 'It's nothing', 'It was a small thing'. It's quick, concise, and extremely natural, showing that what you did was not worth them bothering to thank you for.

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✨ The Takeaway

「いえいえ」is a buffer word, a communication reflex that expresses humility and consideration for the other person's feelings. It helps to gently negate an apology, a compliment, or a thank you, making the atmosphere more comfortable.

Try using「いえいえ」more often, you'll find yourself communicating 'very Japanese' and scoring nuance points in the eyes of native speakers! 😉