How do you say "oh, I see / is that so (the 'I'm listening' sound)" in Japanese?

Name: Why Japanese People Keep Saying This While You Talk
Uploaded: 2026-06-16T14:13:54Z
Duration: 31 s
Description: Learn to say そうですか (sō desu ka) — oh, I see / is that so (the 'I'm listening' sound). A 30-second Japanese lesson for travelers from Kōfuku.

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Why Japanese People Keep Saying This While You Talk

To say oh, I see / is that so (the 'I'm listening' sound) in Japanese, say そうですか (sō desu ka).

They keep nodding and going 'un… sou desu ka' — are they even listening? YES.

そうですか sō desu ka oh, I see / is that so (the 'I'm listening' sound)

Intermediate Cultural Wedge #learnjapanese #japaneseculture #japanesephrases #japan #languagetips

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In this video

話してると、ずっと「うん、うん」って…聞いてる？ Hanashiteru to, zutto “un, un” tte… kiiteru? They keep going 'un, un' while you talk — are they even listening?
あれは「相槌」。ちゃんと聞いてるサインなんだ。 Are wa “aizuchi.” Chanto kiiteru sain nan da. That's 'aizuchi' — it's actually the 'I'm listening' signal.
あなたも「そうですか」って言ってみて。 Anata mo “sō desu ka” tte itte mite. Try it yourself — drop in a 'sō desu ka' (oh, I see).
「へえ」「なるほど」もよく使うよ。 “Hee” “naruhodo” mo yoku tsukau yo. 'Hee' and 'naruhodo' (I see) work great too.
うなずきながら言うと、ぐっと自然！保存してね👇 Unazukinagara iu to, gutto shizen! Hozon shite ne. Say it while you nod and you'll sound way more natural. Save this 👇

Why this phrase

Introduce aizuchi (active-listening sounds) — the constant nods and 'sou desu ka / hee / naruhodo' that confuse foreigners into thinking they're interrupted. Teach the one safe aizuchi a tourist can use to sound natural in any chat.