How to deal with compliments...Whats the proper language?

[MegletOnRye]

Jpod101.com, I really need your help!

There really is no good way for me to phrase this so I really apologize if this comes off badly....but....

I just started using mixxer.com (which is awesome) and I frequently get complimented on my looks due to my photo I have posted. (it's a wedding photo) I have NO idea how to respond! I know in Japan when you receive a compliment it's best to deny it gracefully but I have no idea what to say. If it was an American saying it I'd just say "Psh, you're too nice! Thank you though." But wouldn't that come off as arrogant to someone Japanese?

What is appropriate Japanese to use in situations like this? I'm really stressing over this and it's such a silly thing to stress over.

Thanks in advance!

[Javizy]

「そんなことはありません」literally 'there's no such thing', seems to be the set phrase. If it's repeatedly from the same person, you can eventually say something similar to your English line. There was a discussion about it in one of the lesson comments that would give you a lot more insight, but I can't remember what one it was

[josiah]

a bit off topic here, but funny nonetheless
i was talking to a japanese mate and he says something like
お前日本語すごく上手だよ and i replied; そのことないだ！
then he was like, no no no don't say crap like that, you're japanese is great!
funny stuff, and 100 posts

[Psy]

お前日本語すごく上手だよ and i replied; そのことないだ！

Compounded by the fact that having だ there in your reply is grammatically incorrect. い-adjective + だ = バツ！

Congrats on the 100 posts. You're becoming a Jpod forum nerd just like me and Javizy.

[josiah]

ah i made an error there, i think i think to much when i'm writing and my grammar is far from perfect cos i rarely speak polite japanese, but thanks for the pick-up there
happy valentines to you psy!

[MegletOnRye]

Thanks so much for the replies guys. Totally helped me out! It's little cultural bits like this that can throw a monkey wrench into learning sometimes.....BUT it also a part of what makes Japanese so interesting to me. I have to make a point to ignore people saying "I'm no good"....Here I'd take something like that at face value. D:

Also, the site is not mixxer.com! It's actually, www.language-exchanges.org and I couldn't seem to edit my last post to fix that....

Anyways thanks again guys!

[markystar]

no matter how much japanese they've heard me use, if i get the ol' お上手ですね line, i just say えぇ？ like i can't understand them....

[untmdsprt]

I usually say ありがとう to the 日本語が上手ですね。 statement. This usually comes after I say こちらこそ in response to their はじめまして。 Japanesepod101 is teaching us too well!!!!

I also get asked how long I've been using chopsticks, and the look on their faces is priceless when I say 18 years. Sometimes I'm asked why I'm learning kanji, and will hand them a bottle of tea and tell them to find the English on the bottle. They then give a puzzled look like they don't understand.

Recently, I had a good snicker when a Japanese friend had to stop and ask for directions because she got us lost going to an onsen. It was also her first time to go so she wasn't sure about which train to go on. Now that I know, I can go back without her. It was a wonderful place to take pictures.