Japan's Politest Way to Say No Literally Means I'm Okay
To say I'm okay / no thanks in Japanese, say 大丈夫です (daijobu desu).
In Japan, the politest way to say no thanks literally means I'm okay.
大丈夫です
daijobu desu
I'm okay / no thanks
In this video
- 大丈夫です daijobu desu When a cashier offers a bag or a refill and you don't want it, you smile and say 「大丈夫です」.
- 大丈夫です。 daijobu desu. I'm okay. (= no thank you)
- 袋は大丈夫です fukuro wa daijobu desu Worried it sounds like yes? Aim it at the thing. For the bag, say 「袋は大丈夫です」.
- 袋は大丈夫です。 fukuro wa daijobu desu. No bag, thanks.
- 大丈夫です daijobu desu One calm 「大丈夫です」 and you'll never carry a bag you didn't want. Follow for a tiny Japan phrase a day.
Why this phrase
The soft decline tourists need hourly: turning down a konbini bag, a drink refill, a point card, or a street flyer. Teach daijobu desu as a polite no, and add fukuro wa daijobu desu to remove any doubt.
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