How to Say ‘I think I can manage.’ in Japanese
何とかなりそうです。
nan to ka nari sou desu
[nan toh kah nari soh dess]
💬 Usage Tip: 何とかなる means "it'll work out somehow." Changing it to なりそう softens it to "looks like it'll work out," which is a cautious way to say yes.
Phrase Breakdown
何とか
nan to ka
somehow
何とか (nantoka) means 'somehow / one way or another'. Pronounce it as four even beats: na-n-to-ka.
何とか間に合いました。
I somehow made it in time.
Words in this phrase
何
nan
[nan]
what
何 means what; in 何時 it helps ask 'what time'.
何時に始まりますか。
What time does it start?
と
to
[toh]
(quotation marker)
Particle that marks what was said or written, like quotation marks.
彼は「はい」と言いました。
He said "yes."
か
ka
[kah]
some- (indefinite)
After a question word makes it indefinite; 何とか means somehow.
何とかします。
I'll manage somehow.
なりそうです。
nari sou desu
it looks like it will work out
なる means 'to become'. そう adds 'looks like'. です makes it polite. The 'u' in 'desu' is nearly silent.
雨になりそうです。
It looks like it will rain.
Words in this phrase
なり
nari
[nari]
become
The stem of なる, used when something changes or comes to an amount.
合計が二万円となります。
The total comes to 20,000 yen.
そう
sou
[soh]
seems; looks like
Adds the nuance that something appears to be a certain way.
静かそうな個室ですね。
It seems like a quiet private room.
です
desu
[dess]
is; polite copula
A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.
少し伺いたいです。
I would like to ask a little.
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