What is an appropriate response to お疲{つか}れ様{さま}です in non-work situations?


Often times at the gym, when I'm on my way out, covered in sweat, one of the
staff will say `お疲{つか}れ様{さま}です` ("you've worked hard"...?).

Usually at work situations, I've often found that saying some variant of
`お疲{つか}れ` back makes sense, because we're usually in the same situation or
we're finishing at the same time.

However, in this case, they're working and I'm a customer, so I'm never quite
sure how to respond. Saying some variant of `お疲れ` back to them doesn't seem
right, as they are still working.

I feel a little weird saying `ありがとう` (thanks) or something like that, because
it seems to be acknowledging my own efforts ("why yes, I _have_ worked
hard!"), which doesn't seem quite right.

What would be the right response?




お疲れ様です has many meanings depending on the context and your divided feelings, I
think, reflect Japanese people's own different usages. It is _simultaneously_
a greeting and an acknowledgement of having put in hard work and being in a
state of tiredness.

At **work** , お疲れ様です acknowledges each other's hard work and responding
usually suggests "it's nothing, you've also worked hard." At your **gym** ,
お疲れ様です is more literally like "You must be tired," but is essentially just a
greeting, like "How are you?" in English.

The correct response should be 「どうも」would suggest "Thank you for your
thoughtfulness," rather than "I _have_ worked hard!"




お疲れ様です has many meanings depending on the context and your divided feelings, I
think, reflect Japanese people's own different usages. It is _simultaneously_
a greeting and an acknowledgement of having put in hard work and being in a
state of tiredness.

At **work** , お疲れ様です acknowledges each other's hard work and responding
usually suggests "it's nothing, you've also worked hard." At your **gym** ,
お疲れ様です is more literally like "You must be tired," but is essentially just a
greeting, like "How are you?" in English.

The correct response should be 「どうも」would suggest "Thank you for your
thoughtfulness," rather than "I _have_ worked hard!"

