It's often said in Japan that if you’re chatting at someone’s house in Kyoto and are told "ぶぶ漬けでもどうですか（Bubuzuke* demo dodesuka [How about ochazuke])?," the person actually means, "It's time for you to leave." Likewise, if your Japanese coworker says, "今度またお昼でも (Kondo mata ohiru demo [Let's have lunch together sometime])," he or she should really mean that they’ve got to go. * Bubuzuke is a Kyoto word for ochazuke.
Another case in point is a response to "Nihongo ga ojozu desune (You speak Japanese fluently)." In this case, you should say, "Iie, madamada desu (No, my Japanese still isn't good)" even if you fluently speak Japanese. Such a modest (or too modest and dishonest) response makes relationships with Japanese people better because they tend to avoid those speaking honestly and straightforwardly and prefer (too) modest remarks. Honest and straightforward people are often considered rude and inconsiderate even though their remarks are true. (It's like King Lear's response to Cordelia?)
So, when you ask Japanese people if they speak English, they would unlikely say they do. They would say, "No" or "Yes, but a little." Being honest is not always recommended in Japan.
1st draft: 6/25/2018
Revised on 3/17/2026
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