"なるほど、そうなんですね。" — I see, is that right. / That makes sense. (Cultural

Universal

Cultural · Communication

You

なるほど、そうなんですね。

I see, is that right. / That makes sense.

Romaji: Naruhodo, sō nan desu ne. / Reply Romaji: Sō nan desu yo. Hoka ni mo iro-iro atte.

そうなんですよ。他にも色々あって。

そうなんですよ。ほかにもいろいろあって。

That's right. There's actually more to it, too.

Gesture & etiquette

Nod slowly once or twice as you say this; maintain warm, attentive eye contact; lean slightly forward; the goal is to signal 'I hear you' without redirecting the conversation — let the speaker lead.

Aizuchi (相づち) — Japan's active listening backchannels — are obligatory conversation signals. Foreigners who don't use them may be perceived as uninterested or even rude. 'なるほど' and 'そうなんですね' are the most versatile. Space them naturally — every 2–3 sentences is appropriate. Combining with a nod and leaning forward reinforces the signal.

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