10 Ways to Respond to a Compliment
Receiving a compliment is a fantastic way to feel appreciated, but knowing how to respond gracefully can sometimes be tricky! A simple “Thank you” is always correct, but it doesn’t give you much opportunity to express your feelings or keep the conversation going. Learning 10 Ways to Respond to a Compliment will help you show sincere gratitude, share credit, or even return the praise, all while sounding fluent and confident in English.
Expressions for Accepting Praise
These expressions are organized by how humble or enthusiastic you want to sound when someone praises your work, appearance, or effort.
Sincere and Direct Gratitude
These phrases are polite, warm, and suitable for almost any situation. They focus entirely on thanking the speaker for their kindness.
- Thank you, that means a lot.
- Meaning & Use: A heartfelt way to accept praise. It indicates that the compliment is personally significant to you. Use this for compliments on things you put a lot of effort into.
- Example: (Complimenting a new design) “Your work on the logo is beautiful.” → “Thank you, that means a lot. I spent hours perfecting the colors.”
- I appreciate you saying that.
- Meaning & Use: A very polite and warm phrase, perfect for both professional and personal compliments. It’s a great alternative to the simple “thank you.”
- Example: (Complimenting a performance) “You handled the presentation questions so well.” → “I appreciate you saying that. It was a challenging group.”
- That’s very kind of you.
- Meaning & Use: A formal, humble response used when someone gives you high praise. It credits the speaker for their generosity, not just the quality of your work.
- Example: (Praising character) “You are the most reliable person on the team.” → “That’s very kind of you. I try my best.”
Sharing Credit and Being Humble
Use these phrases to deflect attention slightly and share credit with others, which shows great humility and teamwork.
- I couldn’t have done it without [the team/your help].
- Meaning & Use: This is an excellent phrase for work or group achievements. It’s a humble way to acknowledge the effort of others who contributed to your success.
- Example: (Praising a successful project) “Great job on the new software launch!” → “I couldn’t have done it without the team. We all worked really hard.”
- I’m glad you noticed!
- Meaning & Use: This is a warm response for compliments on effort or a new look. It shows you were hoping the effort would be appreciated and are happy it was noticed.
- Example: (Complimenting a new haircut) “Your hair looks fantastic!” → “I’m glad you noticed! I was nervous about changing the style.”
- I was just trying to help out.
- Meaning & Use: A humble response when the compliment is for a helpful action or a kind deed. It suggests the action was minor and natural, even if the result was significant.
- Example: (Praising extra help) “That was so thoughtful of you to organize the office party.” → “I was just trying to help out.“
Enthusiastic and Conversational Responses
These phrases are best for casual conversations and for keeping the dialogue flowing, especially when the compliment is about an item or clothing.
- Oh, thanks! I love it too.
- Meaning & Use: A common response for compliments on clothing, jewelry, or a personal item. You accept the compliment and confirm your own appreciation for the item.
- Example: (Complimenting a jacket) “What a great jacket!” → “Oh, thanks! I love it too. I bought it last year.”
- I got it on sale!
- Meaning & Use: A lighthearted, self-deprecating response often used for clothing. It turns the compliment into a fun fact about how little you paid.
- Example: (Complimenting a new bag) “That’s a beautiful bag!” → “I got it on sale! It was a great deal.”
- You do too! (Returning the compliment)
- Meaning & Use: This immediately returns the praise, creating a mutual compliment. It’s perfect for compliments on shared items, like clothing style, or general positive qualities.
- Example: “You have excellent taste in music.” → “You do too! I love the artists you listen to.”
- I’m so happy to hear that.
- Meaning & Use: A sincere expression of relief and joy, often used when the compliment is about something you were worried about or put immense pressure on yourself for.
- Example: (Praising a child’s progress) “Your son is doing wonderfully in school.” → “I’m so happy to hear that. We were concerned about the transition.”
Phrases in Conversation
Here are a few short, realistic dialogues showing these 10 Ways to Respond to a Compliment in natural exchanges.
Dialogue 1 (Professional)
Manager: “The report you filed was the clearest and most detailed I’ve seen all year.”
Employee: “I appreciate you saying that. I couldn’t have done it without Sarah’s data analysis, though.”
Dialogue 2 (Social/Appearance)
Friend A: “Your new painting is beautiful! I love the colours.”
Friend B: “Thank you, that means a lot. I’m glad you noticed! I experimented with the shades for weeks.”
Dialogue 3 (Casual/Humble)
Neighbor: “That was so thoughtful of you to bring us soup when we were sick.”
You: “That’s very kind of you. I was just trying to help out.”
Quick Tips for Responding Gracefully
| Tone | Recommended Expression | Why? |
| Sincere Appreciation | Thank you, that means a lot. / I appreciate you saying that. | These are universally appropriate and show genuine warmth. |
| Humble/Teamwork | I couldn’t have done it without [them]. / It was a collective effort. | These share the praise and show humility, especially at work. |
| Casual/Lighthearted | Oh, thanks! I love it too. / I got it on sale! | These keep the conversation easygoing and fun for social compliments. |
| Returning the Praise | You do too! | This is a quick and effective way to make the compliment mutual. |
Using these 10 Ways to Respond to a Compliment will not only make your English sound more authentic but will also help you build better rapport with people by showing you’re both confident and kind.
Try using the warm response, “I appreciate you saying that,” the next time someone compliments you! It’s a great habit to start.