1. Listener Responses and Immediate Reactions
25 phrases
Respond naturally and show that you are following the conversation.
001
そうなんだ。 Oh, I see.
「そうなんだ」 is a natural response between people who know each other. It shows new understanding, not necessarily agreement.
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002
そうなんですね。 I see.
More polite than 「そうなんだ」; use it to show understanding or interest with someone you do not know well.
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003
なるほど。 That makes sense.
A neutral, widely useful response showing that you understand an explanation, reason, or line of thought.
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004
たしかに。 That's true.
This first concedes that the other person's point has merit; you can still add a different view afterward.
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005
へえ、 知らなかったしらなかった 。 Wow, I didn't know that.
「へえ」 naturally conveys surprise and interest in casual conversation.
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006
それは 意外いがい だった。 That was unexpected.
「意外」 describes an outcome that differs from what was expected.
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007
それ、 分わ かる。 I get that.
The particle is omitted in casual speech; the phrase says you strongly relate to the other person's feeling.
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008
うんうん、そうだよね。 Mm-hmm, that's true.
Repeating 「うん」 signals attentive listening, while 「よね」 seeks shared feeling.
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009
なるほど、そういうことか。 I see, so that's what it was.
The sentence-final 「か」 marks the moment the speaker has just worked something out.
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010
ああ、だからだったんだ。 Oh, so that's why.
Use this when a cause-and-effect link becomes clear; 「んだ」 adds an 'now I get it' nuance.
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011
そういう 考え方かんがえかた もあるね。 That's another way to look at it.
Acknowledges another perspective as reasonable without fully endorsing it.
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012
それは 大変たいへん だったね。 That must have been tough.
「ね」 brings the response closer to the listener's experience and conveys empathy.
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013
それはよかったね。 That's great.
A natural way to share someone's happiness after hearing good news.
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014
本当ほんとう に？ Really?
An informal check of surprising information, usually spoken with rising intonation.
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015
まさか。 No way.
A short, casual expression of strong surprise or disbelief.
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016
それで、どうなったの？ So, what happened?
「それで」 connects to the previous story and prompts the speaker to continue.
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017
うん、 続けてつづけて 。 Yeah, go on.
A brief invitation to keep talking, natural between people who are close.
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018
なるほどね。 I see.
Adding 「ね」 makes 「なるほど」 softer and more conversational.
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019
そうかもしれないね。 That might be true.
「かもしれない」 leaves room for uncertainty and expresses gentle, partial agreement.
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020
言われていわれて みれば、たしかにそうだね。 Now that you mention it, that's true.
「言われてみれば」 means the point became noticeable only after the other person mentioned it.
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021
それはちょっと 気き になるね。 That does bother me a little.
「ちょっと」 softens the concern so it does not sound too forceful.
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022
うん、 言いいい たいことは 分かったわかった 。 Yeah, I understand what you're saying.
Shows that you understand the main point, but does not necessarily mean you agree.
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023
あ、そういう 意味いみ ね。 Oh, that's what you mean.
Used at the moment you finally grasp a word, phrasing, or the speaker's real intention.
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024
そっか、それなら 安心あんしん した。 Oh, okay. That's a relief.
「そっか」 is the conversational form of 「そうか」; the second clause expresses relief.
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025
なるほど。よく 分かったわかった よ。 I see. I understand now.
The first sentence shows understanding and the second confirms the explanation is now clear.
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2. When You Did Not Hear or Understand
25 phrases
Ask someone to repeat or rephrase without disrupting the conversation.
026
ごめん、 今いま なんて 言ったいった ？ Sorry, what did you just say?
「なんて言った？」 is a natural casual way to ask what someone just said.
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027
すみません、もう 一度いちど お 願いねがい できますか。 Excuse me, could you say that again?
A polite request to repeat, suitable for most everyday situations.
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028
ちょっと 聞ききき 取と れなかった。 I couldn't quite make that out.
「聞き取れない」 means the sound reached you but you could not make out the words.
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029
もう 少しすこし ゆっくり 話してはなして もらえる？ Could you speak a little more slowly?
「〜てもらえる？」 naturally asks someone close to you to slow down.
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030
最後さいご のところ、もう 一回いっかい いい？ Could you repeat the last part?
The omitted wording is understood; this asks for only the final part to be repeated.
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031
「 推お し」ってどういう 意味いみ ？ What does 'oshi' mean?
In speech, 「って」 introduces the word or expression being asked about.
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032
その 言葉ことば 、 初めてはじめて 聞いたきいた 。 I've never heard that word before.
Frankly says the word is new and implicitly invites an explanation.
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033
名前なまえ 、もう 一度いちど 聞いてきいて もいいですか。 May I ask your name again?
Politely checks the name again instead of pretending to remember it.
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034
すみません、 音おと が 途切とぎ れて 聞き こえませんでした。 Sorry, the audio kept cutting out, so I couldn't hear you.
On a call, 「聞こえませんでした」 presents the audio dropout as an objective problem.
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035
今いま のは 私わたし に 聞いてきいて る？ Was that question for me?
A casual way to check whether the previous question was directed at you.
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036
どの 話はなし のこと？ Which thing are you talking about?
Use this when a reference is unclear and you need to identify the specific topic.
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037
具体的ぐたいてき にはどういうこと？ What exactly do you mean?
Requests a more concrete explanation of an abstract statement; best among equals.
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038
例れい を 挙げてあげて もらえる？ Could you give me an example?
「例を挙げる」 means to give an example; the request makes the explanation easier to follow.
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039
すみません、 話はなし についていけなくなりました。 Sorry, I've lost track of the explanation.
「ついていけなくなりました」 says you stopped following partway through, helping the speaker find where to restart.
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040
ちょっと 待ってまって 。 今いま 、 頭あたま の 中なか で 整理せいり してる。 Wait a second. I'm organizing my thoughts.
Asks for a short pause and naturally explains that you are organizing the information.
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041
つまり、 来週らいしゅう に 延期えんき するってこと？ So, you mean it's being postponed until next week?
Summarizing in your own words and checking it is a powerful conversation-repair technique.
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042
ここまでは 分かったわかった んだけど、その 先さき が 分からないわからない 。 I understand up to this point, but not what comes after.
Clearly separates what you understood from what you did not, inviting a focused explanation.
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043
私わたし の 聞ききき 間違いまちがい かもしれないけど、 明日あした って 言ったいった ？ I may have misheard you, but did you say tomorrow?
Admitting you may have misheard first makes the following confirmation softer.
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044
漢字かんじ でどう 書くかく の？ How do you write that in kanji?
Asks how a word is written in kanji; natural with acquaintances or in a learning setting.
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045
その 名前なまえ 、どう 発音はつおん するの？ How do you pronounce that name?
Asks for the natural pronunciation of a person's name, place name, or similar term.
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046
もう 少しすこし 簡単かんたん な 言いいい 方かた で 説明せつめい してもらえますか。 Could you explain that in simpler terms?
A polite request to restate the explanation in simpler language.
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047
今いま の 部分ぶぶん だけ、もう 一度いちど お 願いねがい 。 Could you repeat just that part?
Asking for only one part to be repeated is more efficient than requesting everything again.
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048
ごめん、 周りまわり がうるさくて 聞き こえなかった。 Sorry, it was noisy around me and I couldn't hear you.
The て-form presents the surrounding noise as the objective cause and avoids blaming the speaker.
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049
すみません、 少しすこし 考えるかんがえる 時間じかん をください。 Excuse me, please give me a moment to think.
Politely asks for time to organize your thoughts when you cannot answer immediately.
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050
分からないわからない まま 進すす めたくないので、 確認かくにん させてください。 I don't want to move on without understanding, so let me make sure.
Explaining why you want to confirm is appropriate in study, administrative, and workplace settings.
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3. Checking, Clarifying, and Restating
10 phrases
Confirm meaning by putting what you understood into your own words.
051
つまり、 明日あした は 来こ なくていいってこと？ So, you mean I don't need to come tomorrow?
「ってこと？」 is the casual form of 「ということですか」 and is used to summarize and confirm.
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052
私わたし の 理解りかい で 合あ ってる？ Have I understood that correctly?
A short, natural way to check your interpretation with someone you know.
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053
念ねん のため、 時間じかん をもう 一度いちど 確認してかくにんして いい？ Just to be safe, may I confirm the time once more?
「念のため」 means 'just to be safe' and does not imply that the other person made a mistake.
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054
「ちょっと 難しいむずかしい 」というのは、 具体的ぐたいてき にどの 部分ぶぶん ？ When you say 'a little difficult,' which part exactly do you mean?
「〜というのは」 clearly identifies the wording whose meaning you want clarified.
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055
先さき に 予約よやく しておいたほうがいいってことだね。 So, it's better to make a reservation in advance, right?
「〜ってことだね」 restates the conclusion and seeks confirmation.
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056
それは 今日中きょうじゅう ？それとも 今週中こんしゅうじゅう ？ Do you mean by the end of today or by the end of this week?
The pattern 「A？それともB？」 quickly narrows down a deadline or two possible choices.
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057
午前ごぜん と 午後ごご なら、どっちの 話はなし ？ Are you talking about the morning or the afternoon?
「どっち」 is the casual form of 「どちら」 for choosing between two options.
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058
「 大丈夫だいじょうぶ 」って、 行い けるって 意味いみ ？ When you say 'daijōbu,' do you mean you can go?
Because 「大丈夫」 can mean several things, the speaker checks exactly what it means here.
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059
今いま のところ、まだ 決まってきまって ないんだよね。 As of now, it still hasn't been decided, right?
「今のところ」 limits the statement to the present, and 「よね」 checks shared understanding.
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060
要よう するに、 予定よてい が 変か わったってこと？ In short, you mean the plans changed?
「要するに」 extracts the central conclusion from a longer explanation.
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