その服いいね
sono fuku ii ne
In Japanese, "I like your outfit" is expressed as その服いいね (sono fuku ii ne).
その服いいね is a compliment used to tell someone that the clothes they are wearing look good. To emphasize how well an outfit suits a person, you can use the phrase niau yo. If you wish to describe something as beautiful or pretty, you can use the word kirei.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase その服いいね literally translates to "That clothing is good, isn't it?"
Which one should you use?
While その服いいね focuses on the clothes themselves being good, the alternative phrase その服、似合ってるね focuses on how well the clothes suit the person's appearance.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form その服いいね is casual and should be used with friends or peers, rather than superiors. For a more polite expression suitable for people you are not close with, you can use その服、いいですね. Additionally, おしゃれですね is a polite way to compliment someone's general sense of style rather than a specific piece of clothing.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding desu ne to the end of the phrase, as in その服、いいですね, makes the compliment polite.
How do you pronounce it?
sono fuku ii ne
Did you know?
- When receiving a compliment like その服いいね, it is culturally common for Japanese speakers to modestly deny it by saying iie 'no' or sonna koto nai desu 'that is not the case'.
- Complimenting a superior's outfit using ii desu ne can sometimes be perceived as overly familiar or slightly condescending since you are 'evaluating' their choice.
- If you want to compliment a person's 'sense' of fashion rather than the clothes, you can say センスがいい (sensu ga ii). This directly uses the English loanword 'sense' to describe their innate taste.
Examples in context
- その服いいね。Sono fuku ii ne.I like your outfit.
- 今日のその服いいね！Kyō no sono fuku ii ne!I like that outfit you're wearing today!
- その服いいね、似合ってるよ。Sono fuku ii ne, niatteru yo.I like your outfit, it suits you.
Example conversation
Two friends meet up at a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himari健太くん、その服いいね！Kenta-kun, sono fuku ii ne!Kenta, I like your outfit!
- 健太 Kenta本当？ありがとう。Hontō? Arigatō.Really? Thanks.
- 陽葵 Himariとてもおしゃれだね。Totemo oshare da ne.It's very stylish.
- 健太 Kenta嬉しいよ。ありがとう。Ureshii yo. Arigatō.I'm happy to hear that. Thanks.
