How to Say ‘I see.’ in Japanese
そうですか。
sou desu ka
[soh dess kah]
🇯🇵 In Japan: [そうですか。] is a neutral, polite way to acknowledge what the other person said. In a taxi, it works well as "I see" without sounding argumentative.
Phrase Breakdown
そう
sou
[soh]
I see; is that so
Used to show you understand or acknowledge new information.
そうですか。では、もう少し先へ行きます。
I see. Then I will go a little farther ahead.
です
desu
[dess]
is
Polite copula used in many set phrases.
そうですかと運転手さんが答えました。
The driver replied, “I see.”
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
Makes the phrase sound like a confirming response.
そうですかと聞いて納得しました。
Hearing “I see?” showed understanding.
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