「言われてみれば」: The 'Now that you mention it' Moment 💡

In a conversation, you're adamantly defending your point of view. Suddenly, the other person offers a perspective that makes you pause and think, "Oh, now that you mention it...".

The moment you realize something obvious that you hadn't thought of before, that's when the Japanese use the magical phrase: 「言われてみれば」 (Iwarete mireba).

What is 「言われてみれば」?

Its literal meaning is "If I'm told (by you), then I see." It expresses a shift in perception. Before hearing the other person's opinion, you hadn't considered it, but after hearing it, you're completely convinced.

It's not just simple agreement like「確かに」(Tashika ni - Indeed) or「そうですね」(Sou desu ne - That's right). 「言われてみれば」 carries a stronger nuance:

• Gentle surprise: "Ah, so that's it! Why didn't I think of that?"
• Acknowledging the other's point: "Thanks to you pointing it out, I now realize."
• A shift in thinking: You've changed your perspective after listening.

Real-life Situations

Here's how the Japanese use it in daily life:

Situation 1: Commenting on others 👥

A: 「田中さん、最近元気ないね。」 (Tanaka-san seems a bit down lately, doesn't he?)

B: 「言われてみれば、確かに。なんかあったのかな。」 (Now that you mention it, you're right. I wonder if something happened.)

👉 Here, B didn't notice at first, but after A mentioned it, B re-evaluated and agreed.

Situation 2: Finding the cause of a problem 🤔

A: 「このエアコン、全然涼しくならない。」 (This air conditioner isn't cooling at all.)

B: 「窓が開いてるからじゃない？」 (Maybe it's because the window is open?)

A: 「あ、言われてみれば…。」 (Ah, now that you mention it...)

👉 A had an "epiphany" about a very simple cause they had overlooked.

Situation 3: Discussing movies, books 🎬

A: 「この映画の主人公、ちょっと自分勝手じゃない？」 (Isn't the main character of this movie a bit selfish?)

B: 「うーん、そうかな…？でも、言われてみれば、大事な場面でいつも自分のことばかり考えてるかも。」 (Hmm, you think so...? But now that you mention it, maybe he does always think about himself in important scenes.)

The Secret to Differentiating: 「言われてみれば」 vs 「確かに」

• 「確かに」: You agree with a fact or a point. You might have already known or vaguely realized it. It's more of an "acknowledgment."
• 「言われてみれば」: You hadn't thought of it at all until someone else pointed it out. It's more of a "discovery" and "realization."

Mastering 「言われてみれば」 not only helps you communicate more naturally but also shows the other person that you're truly listening and value their perspective. It's a great way to make a discussion more open and constructive. 👍