それは

• Reading: それは
• Romaji: sore wa
• Formation: それは + Comment / Explanation

Meaning

An interjection used when the speaker emphatically provides an expected or natural response to a situation. It conveys 'of course,' 'naturally,' or 'well, that's because' with strong agreement.

それは is used to validate or emphatically agree with something that was said, often providing a reason or expressing that the result is completely natural. When used as a discourse marker (not simply as 'that' + topic marker), it signals strong emotional agreement. For instance, if someone says they failed an exam they didn't study for, the listener might respond それは落ちるよ (well of course you failed). It differs from もちろん in that それは often introduces an explanation or carries a tone of 'what did you expect?' It can express sympathy, agreement, or mild reproach depending on context.

Examples

1. 三日も寝ていないの？それは疲れるよね。 You haven't slept for three days? Of course you're tired.
2. 毎日三時間練習している？それは上手くなるはずだ。 You practice three hours every day? No wonder you're getting good.
3. 一人で引っ越したの？それは大変だったでしょう。 You moved by yourself? That must have been tough.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, everyday

Tone: empathetic

Do Say

• 十時間も働いたの？それは疲れたでしょう。
• 初めての海外旅行？それは楽しみだね。
• 彼に裏切られた？それは怒るのも無理はない。

Don't Say

• それは、明日会議があります。(Using discourse-marker それは to introduce unrelated information — it must respond to the prior statement) → 明日会議があります。
• それは、犬が好きです。(Using それは as an emphatic marker for a random preference — no preceding context to emphatically agree with) → 私は犬が好きです。

Origin & History

Composed of それ (that) + は (topic marker). As a discourse marker, it evolved from topic-comment structure into an emphatic agreement expression, stressing the natural or expected quality of the situation.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal