「Sonna koto nai!」: The 'Counter' to a Compliment

You've just received a compliment from a Japanese colleague: 「〇〇さん、今日の服、すごく似合ってるね！」 (Mr./Ms. A, that outfit looks great on you today!).

What's your first reaction? Is it 「ありがとうございます！」? 🤔

In Western culture, it's normal to happily accept a compliment. But in Japan, if you just say 'Thank you', you might sometimes be seen as a little... too confident. The Japanese have another 'master trick' to both show humility and keep the conversation graceful. That is 「そんなことないです！」

🧐 What is 'Sonna koto nai'?

Its literal meaning is 'That's not true!'. Sounds a bit harsh, right? But in Japanese communication culture, this is a humble (謙遜 - kenson) way to 'counter' a compliment.

When you say そんなことないです, the listener will implicitly understand:

• 'You're flattering me, I'm not that good.'
• 'Thank you for the compliment, but I think I'm still lacking.'
• 'Oh, I'm so embarrassed, don't say that!'

This is a gentle way of refusing to put the other person on a pedestal and to show your own humility. 🙏

✨ When to use it?

「そんなことない」 is an extremely versatile weapon when you receive a compliment.

1. When complimented on your ability or appearance:

👤: 日本語、お上手ですね！ (Your Japanese is very good!)

😎 (You): いえいえ、そんなことないです。まだまだ勉強中です。 (Oh no, not at all. I'm still studying.)

2. When complimented on an achievement:

👤: この資料、すごく分かりやすいです！ (This document is so easy to understand!)

😎 (You): 本当ですか？そんなことないですよ。 (Really? It's not that great.)

3. When thanked for something (instead of「どういたしまして」):

👤: 手伝ってくれてありがとう。助かりました！ (Thanks for your help. You really saved me!)

😎 (You): いやいや、そんなことないよ！ (No, no, it was nothing!)

💡 Pro-tip: 'Sonna koto nai' vs. 'Tondemonai desu'

A more polite and stronger variation is 「とんでもないです」 (tondemonai desu). It also has the meaning of denying a compliment but with a stronger nuance, expressing surprise and humility to a higher degree. Often used with superiors or in formal situations.

• そんなことないです = 'That's not true' (Level of humility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️)
• とんでもないです = 'Oh my goodness, how can that be!' (Level of humility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

In Conclusion

Next time you receive a compliment, instead of just smiling and saying ありがとう, try using 「そんなことないです！」. This is a small secret that will help you communicate with more nuance, humility, and in a more 'Japanese' way! 😉