「Sou nanda」: The 'Wide-Eyed' Reaction of the Japanese

You're excitedly telling a 'unique' story to your Japanese friend, and they respond with a flat「そうですか」(Soudesuka). Do you feel a little let down? 😅

In textbooks,「そうですか」is often translated as 'Is that so?', 'Really?', which sounds reasonable. But in real conversation, it can create a rather distant and sometimes... 'flat' feeling.

That's when the master trick 「そうなんだ」(Sou nanda) shines! ✨

「Soudesuka」vs「Sou nanda」: What's the difference?

Both are used when you receive new information, but the emotional nuance is a world apart.

1. 「Soudesuka」- Polite but distant

This is a classic form of Aizuchi (相槌), a nod to let the speaker know 'Ah, I'm still listening'.

• Feeling: Neutral, polite, a bit formal, sometimes lacking interest.
• When to use: With superiors, customers, or people you are not close to. It's more like a confirmation of information than an emotional reaction.

👤 A: 昨日、北海道に行ってきました。(I just came back from Hokkaido yesterday.) 🤖 B: そうですか。 (Is that so.) -> Sounds a bit 'robotic', lacks connection.

2. 「Sou nanda」- Surprised and connected 😮

This is the reaction you want to get from a friend! Adding 「ん」/「の」 in the middle changes everything. It turns a confirmation of information into an expression of emotion.

• Feeling: Genuinely surprised, curious, interested. Like 'Oh, really!', 'Is that so!', 'No way?'.
• When to use: With friends, close colleagues, family. This is how you show that you are truly surprised and want to hear more about the story.

👤 A: 昨日、北海道に行ってきました。(I just came back from Hokkaido yesterday.) 😍 B: へぇー、そうなんだ！ どうだった？ (Wow, really! How was it?)

See? B's response makes the speaker feel that their story is interesting and welcomed.

Advanced Tips 🚀

• A little more polite: Use 「そうなんですね」/「そうなんですか」. Still retains the surprise of「ん」but adds「です/ます」for more politeness. Perfect for use with senpai or colleagues who are not too close.
• Add some spice: Combine with exclamations like 「へぇー」 or 「えっ、本当に？」 at the beginning to maximize the surprise.

へぇー、そうなんだ！ (Wow, so that's it!) えっ、そうなんですか！？ (Huh, really!?)

Conclusion

Don't just use そうですか mechanically. In informal conversations, be bold and use そうなんだ！ to express your surprise and interest.

Just this small change will help your conversation become much more 'alive' and connected! 😉