そう言われてみれば…
Makoto+ Members, click here to download all the sound files and a PDF for this lesson. Practice makes perfect!
The phrase そう言われてみれば is a commonly used expression in Japanese that helps convey a moment of realization or reconsideration in response to someone else's remark. It's akin to saying "Now that you mention it..." or "That makes me think..." in English. This phrase is useful in conversations, especially when acknowledging a new perspective or agreeing with a point just made by another speaker.
Other translations:
- Now that you mention it...
- Come to think of it...
- Now that you say that...
- That makes me think.
- You might have a good point.
- When you put it that way...
You can see how useful this simple phrase is for conversational Japanese.
Let's look at how it is constructed.
Construction
While there are many ways to express this concept, let’s first breakdown our main expression, そう言われてみれば:
- そう This way, thus, so
- 言われて Passive form of 言う, meaning "to say" or "to be told"
- みれば Conditional form of 見る, meaning "to see" or "to consider"
When put together, そう言われてみれば literally translates to "if it is seen that way when said," but it functionally means "Now that you mention it."
Meaning and Usage
そう言われてみれば is used when a speaker wants to express that they are considering something in a new light, often as a result of what someone else has just pointed out. It suggests a shift in viewpoint or an acknowledgment that the speaker hadn't considered that angle before.
Example Dialogue:
A: この計画は少しリスクが高すぎるかもしれない。
B: そう言われてみれば、他の選択肢を考えた方がいいかもしれませんね。
A: "This plan might be a bit too risky."
B: "Now that you mention it, it might be better to consider other options."
Vocabulary
Other Similar Expressions
言われてみれば、確かにそうかも。
Come to think of it, maybe you are right.
Vocabulary
そう言われてみれば思い出した。
I remember now that you mention it.
Vocabulary
言われてみれば、あなたの言う通りかもしれません。
Now that you mention it, you may be right.
Vocabulary
そう言われれば、そうだね。
Now that you mention it, it’s true
Vocabulary
そう言われるまで考えもしなかったよ。
I didn't think of it until you said it.
Vocabulary
Now, go out and use this phrase in your next Japanese conversation!
Makoto+ Members, click here to download all the sound files and a PDF for this lesson. Practice makes perfect!
Why at the end of the first sentence かもしれない is used and the end of the second かもしれません is used if they both mean the same? Are the interchangeable? Speaker’s preference?
They both mean the same thing. Both the ～ない and ～ません are negative enders. The difference is in politeness. ～ません is the polite form.
Great examples. It would be even better if you also include Hiragana above or below Kanji words for beginners like me to learn.
The furigana is there! It’s just hidden. If you are on a computer, mouse over the kanji. If you are on a mobile device, tap the kanji. Let me know if it doesn’t show up.