「まぁ、あれだ」: The Japanese Art of Saying 'You Know, That Thing'

You're eagerly listening to a colleague's story, they get to the climax about a project issue, and then suddenly...

「あの件、どうなったかって？いやー、まぁ、あれだよ、あれ」

(Anoken, dounatta katte? Iyā, maa, are da yo, are)

...and then they give you a meaningful look. You're like, "Uh, what's 'that thing'???' 🤯

Welcome to one of the most advanced techniques of 'roundabout' and 'implicit' communication in Japan: まぁ、あれだ (Maa, are da).

This isn't a phrase used out of forgetfulness; it's an intentional art form!

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🧐 When is "that thing" used?

まあ、あれだ is often used in situations where the speaker wants to avoid directly addressing a sensitive issue, or when they believe the listener can already understand the context.

Scene 1: When you don't want to be direct (Because it's too harsh or troublesome) 😅

The boss asks about a troublesome colleague:

Boss: 「最近、田中くんの様子どう？」(How's Tanaka-kun doing lately?)

You: 「ああ、田中ですか…。まぁ、あれですね…」 (Ah, Tanaka... Well, you know, he's being 'that way'...)

👉 Instead of having to list complaints or speak ill directly, this phrase implicitly signals: "You know how it is, boss. Same old attitude, same old problems. It's a hassle to even talk about it." Both parties understand without any specific complaint being made.

Scene 2: When both parties are "in on it" 🤝

You and a colleague attended a company party (飲み会) where an 'awkward' incident occurred. The next day, you chat:

A: 「昨日の飲み会、すごかったね。」(Last night's party was something else, huh.)

B: 「ほんとだよ。特に部長のあれは...」 (Totally. Especially the boss's 'incident'...)

A: 「はは、まぁ、あれはあれで面白かったけどね。」(Haha, well, 'that thing' was funny in its own way, I guess.)

👉 あれ (that thing) here becomes a code word only understood by those who were present. It creates a sense of intimacy, like "we share a secret."

Scene 3: When you want to 'prompt' the other person 🤔

Sometimes, this is a way to 'test' if the other person is on the same page.

You: 「今度の企画、なんか足りないんだよな…」 (This new project plan is missing something...)

Colleague: 「ああ、わかる。あれがないよね、あれ。」 (Ah, I get it. It's missing 'that thing', you know, 'that'.)

You: 「そう！インパクトだよ！」 (Exactly! 'Impact'!)

👉 By using あれ, the speaker is inviting the other person to fill in the blank, creating an engaging and interactive conversation.

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✨ Pro Tip

まぁ、あれだ isn't just about the words. It's a combination of a slightly hesitant tone, a meaningful glance, and sometimes a vague gesture.

Next time you want to talk about something that "everyone knows what it is," try using this technique. If the other person nods and replies, "À à, あれね！", congratulations, you've successfully communicated on a whole different level! 😉