“〜sore wa 〜desu ne・sore wa ii desu ne”: That's Great / That's Too Bad (empathetic responses) [JLPT N2]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
「それは大変ですね」「それはよかったですね」 — matching your reaction to their good or bad news.
「来月、結婚するんです」「それはおめでとうございます！」 — a backchannel that hugs the other's feelings
A friend says 「来月、結婚するんです」 (I'm getting married next month), and you reply 「それはおめでとうございます！」 (why, that's wonderful, congratulations!) — 「それは〜ですね・それはいいですね」 is an empathetic backchannel with feeling: catching what the other just said and, with 「それは,」 marking “that (matter) is really …,” to express praise, sympathy, or surprise. It gives conversation warmth and resonance. This guide covers such backchannels and how to tell them from the plain agreement 「そうですね.」
Core: それは〜 = expressing empathy at the other's words
The 「それは」 in 「それは〜ですね」 refers to the very thing the other just said, followed by a feeling-laden appraisal, expressing empathy with the other:
- praise (good news): 「昇進しました」「それはよかったですね／それはおめでとうございます」 (that's wonderful / congratulations).
- sympathy (bad news, hardship): 「残業続きで…」「それは大変ですね／それはお疲れさまです」 (that must be tough / you've worked hard).
- surprise: 「宝くじが当たって」「それはすごいですね」 (that's amazing).
Feel: “that's really … isn't it” — the core is catching the other's words and responding hugging their feelings (glad at good news, sympathetic at bad). Here 「それは」 carries an emphatic, empathetic tone, not a plain “that.”
How it attaches
| Form | Situation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| それは ＋ よかった／いい ＋ ですね | glad at good news | それはいいですね |
| それは ＋ 大変／困った ＋ ですね | sympathy at bad news | それは大変ですね |
| それは ＋ すごい／驚いた ＋ ですね | surprise | それはすごいですね |
| それは ＋ おめでとう／お疲れさま | congratulation／comfort | それはおめでとうございます （Well, congratulations!） |
See it in context
- 「試験に合格しました」「それはよかったですね！」(“I passed the exam.” “That's wonderful!”)
- 「財布をなくして…」「それは大変でしたね」(“I lost my wallet…” “Oh, that's awful.”)
- 「子供が生まれたんです」「それはおめでとうございます」(“Our child was born.” “Why, congratulations.”)
- 「三日も熱が続いて」「それはお辛かったですね」(“I had a fever for three days.” “That must have been rough.”)
- 「彼、優勝したんですよ」「へえ、それはすごい」(“He won the championship.” “Wow, that's amazing.”)
⚠️ Easy traps to avoid
① The 「それは」 here is ‘empathetic emphasis,' not a plain ‘that.' The 「それは」 in 「それは〜ですね」 refers to the very thing the other just said, with an empathetic, emphatic tone = “that (matter) is really … isn't it.” It's not pointing to some concrete object (“that one”), but catching the other's words and reacting to that matter: they mention a happy event, you reply 「それはよかったですね (that's wonderful)」; they mention a difficulty, you reply 「それは大変ですね (that's tough).」 So it's a considerate backchannel, the point being to “echo the other's feelings.” It's sometimes doubled to 「それはそれは」 (それはそれは、おめでとうございます) for stronger empathy.
② Glad at good news, sympathetic at bad — pick the right ‘emotional direction.' These backchannels must respond according to whether the other's matter is good or bad: they mention good news (promotion, passing, marriage), reply with praise/congratulation — 「それはよかったですね」「それはおめでとうございます」; they mention bad news/hardship (illness, losing something, overtime), reply with sympathy/comfort — 「それは大変ですね」「それはお疲れさまでした.」 Don't reverse the direction (replying 「それはよかったですね」 to illness is very rude). It's a response that reads the situation, hugs the other's feelings — the emotional direction must be right.
③ 「それは〜ですね」 (empathy) vs 「そうですね」 (agreement) differ. Both are backchannels, but function differently. 「そうですね」 = yes, indeed (plain agreement): agreeing with the other's opinion, view: 「今日は暑いですね」「そうですね」 (it's hot today / yes indeed). It's “I agree with what you said.” 「それは〜ですね」 = that's really … isn't it (empathy with feeling): expressing praise, sympathy, surprise etc. at something that happened to the other: 「昇進しました」「それはよかったですね」 (that's wonderful — glad for them). It's “I feel (glad/sad) about that matter of yours.” Test: the other states an opinion, you show agreement → そうですね; the other states something that happened, you show empathetic feeling (shared joy/sympathy/surprise) → それは〜ですね.
🔄 Compare with similar forms: それは〜ですね／そうですね／なるほど／それはそれは
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| それは〜ですね | that's really … isn't it (empathy with feeling) | それは大変ですね |
| そうですね | yes, indeed (plain agreement) | そうですね |
| なるほど | I see (understanding, realization) | なるほど |
| それはそれは | why, that's really … (intensified empathy) | それはそれは |
💡 The key point in use
「それは〜ですね・それはいいですね」 is an empathetic backchannel with feeling — three points: ① the 「それは」 here is empathetic emphasis (that matter is really … isn't it), not a pointing “that”; the point is to catch the other's words and respond hugging their feelings; ② glad at good news, sympathetic at bad — get the emotional direction right — happy events reply 「それはよかった／おめでとう」, difficulties reply 「それは大変／お疲れさま」, don't reverse; ③ it divides labor with 「そうですね」 — それは〜ですね expresses empathetic feeling at “something that happened,” そうですね plainly agrees with an “opinion.” For stronger empathy you can say 「それはそれは.」 These backchannels are key to showing empathy and giving conversation warmth in Japanese — a 「それはよかったですね」 when someone shares good news, a 「それは大変でしたね」 when they share a hardship, makes them feel you're truly listening and resonating.
❓ Questions you might have
Q: 「それは〜ですね」 and 「そうですね」 both respond to the other — what's the difference?
The difference is “empathetic feeling at something that happened” vs “plain agreement with an opinion.” 「それは〜ですね」 = that's really … isn't it (empathetic backchannel with feeling): used to express praise, sympathy, surprise and other feelings at a ‘matter/circumstance' the other described, responding hugging their feelings: 「昇進したんです」「それはよかったですね」 (that's wonderful — glad for them), 「入院してて…」「それは心配でしたね」 (that must have been worrying — sympathizing). Its point is echoing the other's feelings (shared joy, sympathy, surprise). 「そうですね」 = yes, indeed (plain agreement): used to express agreement with the other's ‘opinion, view, judgment': 「この店、いいですね」「そうですね、雰囲気がいい」 (this place is nice / yes, good atmosphere), 「もう帰りましょうか」「そうですね」 (shall we head back / yes). Its point is “I agree with what you said.” Test: the other talks about something that happened to them/a circumstance, you want to show empathetic feeling (glad/sad/surprised for them) → それは〜ですね; the other gives an opinion, suggestion, view, you want to show agreement → そうですね. E.g. they say 「試験に落ちて… (I failed the exam)」, reply 「それは残念でしたね (that's a shame)」 — empathy (sympathizing); they say 「今日は寒いね (it's cold today)」, reply 「そうですね (yes)」 — agreement (agreeing it's cold). One with emotional resonance, one plain agreement — choose by whether the other spoke of a “circumstance” or an “opinion.”
Q: If the other mentions bad news (illness, failure), can I use 「それはいいですね」?
Absolutely not — it would be very rude. The 「それは〜ですね」 backchannel must pick the right emotional direction according to whether the other's matter is good or bad: only for good news use 「それはいいですね／それはよかったですね／それはおめでとうございます」 (praise, congratulation); for bad news, hardship, misfortune, use sympathy, comfort phrases — 「それは大変ですね (that's tough)」「それは残念でしたね (that's a shame)」「それはお疲れさまでした (you've worked hard)」「それはご愁傷さまです (my condolences, for bereavement).」 If the other says 「試験に落ちました (I failed the exam)」 and you reply 「それはいいですね (that's good)」, it's like saying “great that you failed” — a serious, hurtful rudeness. So when using these backchannels, always first hear clearly whether the matter is good or bad, then pick the matching emotional direction:
- good news → それはよかったですね／おめでとうございます (shared joy)
- bad news/hardship → それは大変ですね／お疲れさまでした (sympathy)
- something astonishing → それはすごいですね／驚きましたね (shared surprise)
This is the basic skill of reading the situation and responding considerately. Japanese conversation values this “empathy” highly — get the emotional direction right and the other feels your empathy; get it wrong and it's very awkward and rude. So the mnemonic: glad at good news, sympathetic at bad — never use 「いい」 on bad news.
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「財布をなくして…」「___大変ですね。」(That's really too bad — empathizing)
(A) それは (B) これは(自分) (C) あれは (D) どれは
Q2. 「合格しました」への共感の返事は?
(A) それはよかったですね
(B) それは残念ですね
(C) それは困りましたね
(D) それは心配ですね
Q3. 「それは〜ですね」の働きは?
(A) Showing empathy / agreement about the other person's matter
(B) Describing one's own matter
(C) Giving a command
(D) Raising a question
Q4. bad news に対する適切な返事は?
(A) それは大変ですね／心配ですね
(B) それはいいですね
(C) それはおめでとう
(D) それは楽しみですね
Q5. 用法が自然なのは?
(A) 「昇進した」「それはおめでとうございます」。 (B) 「昇進した」「それは大変ですね」(unsuitable for good news)。
(C) それは私の本(共感ではない)。 (D) それはだ高い。
Answer Explanations
1. (A) それは ── Showing empathy about the other person's matter.
2. (A) ── Good news → それはよかったですね.
3. (A) ── Showing empathy / agreement toward the other person.
4. (A) ── Bad news → 大変/心配ですね.
5. (A) ── Good news pairs with congratulations; (B) pairing good news with 大変 is inappropriate.