とんでもないです

• Reading: とんでもないです
• Romaji: tondemonai desu
• Pronunciation: /toɴ.de.mo.na.i.de.sɯ/

Meaning

A polite deflection meaning 'not at all' or 'you're too kind' — used to humbly deny praise or thanks.

とんでもないです is a polite way to say 'absolutely not' when someone praises you or thanks you excessively. It implies 'what you're saying is so far from the truth it's outrageous' — but in a gracious, humble way. Grammatically, purists argue とんでもございません is incorrect (since とんでもない is one unit, not とんでも + ない), making とんでもないです the preferred polite form. It is common in business Japanese.

Examples

1. さすがですね！とんでもないです、まだ勉強中です。 You're so impressive! Not at all — I'm still learning.
2. わざわざありがとうございます。とんでもないです、お気になさらず。 Thank you so much for going out of your way. Not at all, please don't worry about it.
3. とんでもないです、皆さんのおかげです。 Not at all — it's all thanks to everyone.

Usage Guide

Context: business, receiving praise, polite conversation, customer service

Tone: humble, polite

Do Say

• とんでもないです、お力添えいただいたおかげです (Not at all, it's thanks to your support)
• とんでもないです、こちらこそありがとうございます (You're too kind, thank you as well)

Don't Say

• カジュアルな友達同士で「とんでもないです」は堅すぎる — 「いやいや」で十分 (Using とんでもないです with casual friends is too stiff — いやいや is enough)

Common Mistakes

• Using とんでもございません — linguists consider this grammatically incorrect since とんでもない is a single adjective
• Using it in casual conversation where it sounds overly formal and stiff

Origin & History

From とんでもない (outrageous/absurd), repurposed as a humble expression meaning 'that's absolutely not the case.' The です ending adds politeness suitable for business and formal social contexts.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional polite expression

Generation: All ages (polite contexts)

Social background: Business/formal

Regional notes: Used nationwide in polite settings. An essential phrase for Japanese business etiquette. The とんでもございません debate is a famous grammar discussion point.