Polite to Stranger
Cultural · Communication
いえいえ、私こそ、いつもお世話になっております。 — Not at all — I'm the one who's always in your care. (Cultural · Communication, Polite to Stranger, JLPT N4)
You
いえいえ、私こそ、いつもお世話になっております。
いえいえ、わたくしこそ、いつもおせわになっております。
Not at all — I'm the one who's always in your care.
Romaji: Ie ie, watakushi koso, itsumo osewa ni natte orimasu. / Reply Romaji: Tondemo nai desu. Kochira koso.
Reply
とんでもないです。こちらこそ。
とんでもないです。こちらこそ。
Not at all. The pleasure is mine.
Gesture & etiquette
Slight head shake while saying 'ie ie.' Warm humble smile. Small bow (15 degrees) when completing the reversal. The exchange can continue 'kochira koso' → 'tondemonai' a few times in very formal settings — eventually both parties laugh slightly and move on.
Watakushi koso' (it is I who...) is the standard polite reversal — when thanked or complimented, deflect by returning the credit to the other person. 'Ie ie' (no, no) at the start strengthens the deflection. The full polite first-person 'watakushi' (instead of casual 'watashi') matches the formality. This back-and-forth of mutual humility is a defining feature of Japanese polite conversation.