particle N2 uncommon casualpolitewritten
それは — as for that / that's really ~
それは
Meaning
① as for that (topic pick-up): as for that ~ / that, on the other hand ~ — takes the thing just mentioned as the topic to comment on
② emphatic 'that's truly ~' (in replies): that's really / that must be ~ — intensifies a reaction to what the other person said
Key sentence
① as for that (topic pick-up)
それは別の問題だ。
That's a separate issue.
② emphatic 'that's truly ~' (in replies)
それは大変でしたね。
That must have been really tough.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sentence-initial それ + は (emphatic: それはそれは) | それは + [comment / adjective] | それは困る / それは嬉しい |
When: The topic-pickup use organizes discourse; the emphatic use is a warm, often sympathetic reaction in conversation (それはそれは doubles the emphasis).
Examples
① as for that (topic pick-up)
値段は高い。でも、それは品質がいいからだ。
It's expensive. But that's because the quality is good.
② emphatic 'that's truly ~' (in replies)
「合格しました。」「それはよかったですね。」
'I passed.' 'Oh, that's wonderful!'
Easily confused with
それが それが heralds an *unexpected twist* ('actually, it turned out…'); それは takes the prior thing as topic to comment on, or intensifies a reaction ('that's really ~') — no sense of defied expectation. それに それに adds a further point ('besides'); それは singles 'that' out as the topic for a remark, or amplifies a response. Different jobs of the same それ.
Notes
- Doubled それはそれは is a set intensifier ('my, that really ~') in sympathetic or impressed replies.
See それは in real sentences
Jengo shows それは the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.