Laughing it off
Conversation phrases, Stage 2chunk 57 of 71Teasing and banter
Lets you deny or shrug off teasing.
- nai naino way; not at all; nope
- ki no sei da yoit's just your imagination
- mata mataoh, come on; you're kidding
- sore ga nanikaso what?; is there a problem?
Mix-ups sore ga nanika? (so what?) can sound combative if said flat.
nai nai
no way; not at all; nope
Laughs off a suggestion, like being asked if you're dating someone.
Also said while searching: 'it's not here, not here'.
kanojo? nai nai, tada no tomodachi.
Girlfriend? No way, she's just a friend.
彼女？ないない、ただの友達。
nai nai, tada no tomodachi desu yo.
No, no, she's just a friend.
ないない、ただの友達ですよ。
Written ないないWho you say it and hear itHeard 39× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
ki no sei da yo
polite ki no sei desu yo
it's just your imagination
Reassures someone that what they noticed or feared isn't real; also a teasing brush-off.
Ki no sei says it isn't real at all; 'ki ni shisugi' says it's real but small.
futotta? ki no sei da yo.
'Have I put on weight?' Nah, it's just your imagination.
太った？気のせいだよ。
shinpai shinakute ii desu yo. ki no sei desu.
No need to worry. It's just your imagination.
心配しなくていいですよ。気のせいです。
Written 気のせいだよ · きのせいだよ · 気のせいですよWho you say it and hear itHeard 77× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
mata mata
oh, come on; you're kidding
Playful disbelief when someone flatters you or brags.
Not 'again' here, though mata alone means again.
mata mata, joudan bakkari.
Oh, come on, always joking.
またまた、冗談ばっかり。
mata mata, joudan deshou?
Oh, come on, you're joking.
またまた、冗談でしょう？
Written またまたWho you say it and hear itHeard 37× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
sore ga nanika
so what?; is there a problem?
Cool, defensive comeback when someone points something out about you.
Sounds icy even in polite speech.
hitori de kita yo. sore ga nanika?
I came alone. So what?
一人で来たよ。それが何か？
hitori de kimashita kedo, sore ga nanika?
I came alone. Is there a problem?
一人で来ましたけど、それが何か？
Written それが何か · それがなにかWho you say it and hear itHeard 130× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles