Japanese dictionary
How to say "Oh, I see" in Japanese
なるほどなるほど · naruhodo
"Oh, I see" in Japanese is そうですか (sō desu ka) or なるほど (naruhodo), "that makes sense."
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Ways to say "Oh, I see" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| なるほどなるほど · naruhodo | I see; that makes sense. |
| そうですかそうですか · sō desu ka | Oh, I see; is that so? |
| わかりましたわかりました · wakarimashita | I see; understood. |
How to use it
Japanese listeners use short responses, 相づち (aizuchi), like はい, ええ and そうですか to show they're listening.
なるほど can sound casual to someone senior. そうなんですね is softer.
Example sentences
- そうですか。わかりました。Sō desu ka. Wakarimashita.Oh, I see. Understood.
- なるほど、そういうことですね。Naruhodo, sō iu koto desu ne.I see, so that's what it means.
- そうなんですね。知りませんでした。Sō nan desu ne. Shirimasen deshita.Oh, I see. I didn't know that.
- ああ、そうですか。Ā, sō desu ka.Oh, is that so?
- なるほど、いい考えですね。Naruhodo, ii kangae desu ne.I see. That's a good idea.
- わかりました。ありがとうございます。Wakarimashita. Arigatō gozaimasu.I see. Thank you.
Questions
What is 相づち?
相づち (aizuchi) are short responses like はい, ええ and そうですね that show you are listening. They are used more often in Japanese than in English.
Is なるほど polite?
It's fine with peers, but can sound like you are judging to someone senior. そうなんですね is softer.
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.