似合ってるね
niatteru ne
The Japanese phrase for "you look nice" is 似合ってるね (niatteru ne), which is used to compliment how a specific item suits someone.
似合ってるね is a specific compliment used to tell someone that a particular piece of clothing, a hairstyle or an accessory suits them well. It is not a general compliment on a person's physical appearance, but rather a comment on how well they look in a specific item.
Which one should you use?
While 似合ってるね focuses on how well an item suits the person, the word きれい (kirei) focuses on the person's inherent beauty or the beauty of an object itself.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To make the compliment polite and suitable for use with superiors or people you are not close to, use the form 似合っていますね.
How does it change in a sentence?
It uses the continuous aspect to describe the current state of looking good in something.
How do you pronounce it?
niatteru ne
Did you know?
- While 似合ってるね praises a choice of clothing, Japanese speakers often respond to this compliment with a humble denial, such as そんなことないです meaning 'that is not the case', rather than a simple 'thank you'.
- The phrase is fundamentally about 'harmony' rather than 'beauty'. The root of 似合う implies that the item and the person 'match' or 'suit' each other, rather than the person being objectively attractive.
- In a professional setting, praising a superior's appearance with 似合ってるね can be perceived as overly familiar or even condescending because it implies you are in a position to judge their taste.
Examples in context
- その帽子、似合ってるね。Sono boushi, niatteru ne.That hat looks nice on you.
- 新しい服、すごく似合ってるね。Atarashii fuku, sugoku niatteru ne.That new clothing really suits you.
- 青いシャツ、似合ってるね。Aoi shatsu, niatteru ne.The blue shirt looks nice on you.
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are meeting at a cafe.
- 蓮 Ren美咲、そのバッグ似合ってるね。Misaki, sono baggu niatteru ne.Misaki, that bag looks nice on you.
- 美咲 Misaki本当？ありがとう！Hontou? Arigatou!Really? Thank you!
- 蓮 Renすごくおしゃれだよ。Sugoku oshare da yo.It's very stylish.
- 美咲 Misaki嬉しいな。Ureshii na.I'm happy to hear that.
