Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Compliments and/or
Congratulations
Nora: Hi, Mary, I think you did a good job delivering your
report.
Mary: Thank you. To tell you the truth, I rehearsed my talk
a couple of times last night.
Nora: But you sounded really natural.
Mary: Thanks, I’m very glad to hear that. You know I’m
going to do another report and I’d like to know how to
improve my performance.
Nora: Well, the only thing I can say is that I think it would
be better if you looked at the audience more while you
were talking.
Mary: I see. I guess I get so nervous sometimes.
Nora: Oh yeah, it’s normal to feel that way. Anyway, you
did a great job.
Mary: Thank you again. I appreciate your telling me this
and I’ll try to pay attention to that next time.
Culture Note
• Americans may compliment a friend,
someone they just met, or even a stranger.
• Some Westerners do not understand the
idea of rejecting compliments, as an
expression of self-denial and modesty, in
Chinese culture.
• Instead, Americans consider it more polite
to accept compliments as recognition of
their efforts.
To compliment someone you
can say
I’d like to compliment you on . . .
What a nice/beautiful. . . !
Those are/That is a (really) nice/beautiful. . .
I really like your. . .
You have a (really) nice/beautiful. . .
(I think) your. . . are/is really nice/beautiful…
To reply to someone’s
compliment, you can say
It’s nice of you to say so.
Thank you (very much). How kind of you to
say so.
I’m flattered.
Thanks (a lot). I’m glad you like them/it.
I’m glad to hear that.
Thank you.
To congratulate someone,
you can say
I’d like to offer my congratulations (on). . .
Congratulations!
Congratulations on . . .
I’m very happy for you.
That’s great! (wonderful, terrific, fantastic)
To reply to someone’s
congratulations, you can say