How to Say ‘That is; that’ in Japanese
それは
sore wa
[soh-reh wah]
💬 Usage Tip: [それは] often sets up an empathetic response, like [それはつらいね]. It’s like saying, “That... yeah, that sounds rough.”
🇯🇵 In Japan: This phrase helps you respond to someone’s story without jumping too quickly into solutions. Very natural in supportive talk.
Phrase Breakdown
それ
sore
[soh-reh]
that
Refers to something just mentioned.
それは大変だったね。
That must have been hard.
は
wa
[wah]
topic marker
Marks what the sentence is about; pronounced 'wa' here.
私は少し疲れた。
As for me, I'm a little tired.
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