🇯🇵👍

How to Say ‘Your Japanese is good.’ in Japanese

日本語、上手ですね。

nihon go jouzu desu ne

[nee-hon goh joh-zoo dess neh]

🇯🇵 In Japan: Foreigners hear this after saying almost anything in Japanese, so it's more of a friendly icebreaker than a real assessment. The expected response is to modestly deny it, and doing that with a joke is a great way to keep the chat going.

Phrase Breakdown

日本語、

nihon go

Japanese (language),

日本語 (nihongo) means the Japanese language. The comma marks a short pause before the comment.

Example

日本語を勉強しています。

I am studying Japanese.

Words in this phrase

日本

nihon

[nee-hon]

Japan

日本 means “Japan.” In 日本語 it specifies the language of Japan.

Example

日本の会社で働きたいです。

I want to work at a Japanese company.

語

[goh]

language

Suffix meaning language, attached to country names.

Example

英語を話します。

I speak English.

上手ですね。

jouzu desu ne

is good, isn't it

上手 (jouzu) means skilled. です makes it polite, and ね adds a friendly 'isn't it'. Hold the long 'jou' sound.

Example

料理が上手ですね。

You're good at cooking, aren't you?

Words in this phrase

上手

jouzu

[joh-zoo]

skillful; good at

Used to praise someone's putting or golf technique.

Example

パットがとても上手ですね。

Your putting is very good.

です

desu

[dess]

is; polite copula

A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.

Example

少し伺いたいです。

I would like to ask a little.

ね

[neh]

isn't it?; right?

A sentence-ending particle used to seek agreement or add warmth.

Example

すばらしい経験ですね。

That's wonderful experience, isn't it?

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