Japanese - Agreeing

Lesson 81 of 168

Two people smiling and nodding while speaking Japanese; lesson topic: agreeing politely with いいですね and そのとおりです.

Goal: Short, polite ways to say you agree

Free Japanese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Nice work getting to Lesson 81 — time to add a little social glue to your Japanese. This short lesson focuses on two polite responses that show agreement in everyday conversation.

Level A2: Lesson 81 focuses on two common polite agreement phrases: いいですね (Ii desu ne) and そのとおりです (Sono tōri desu). You will hear them, practice choosing the right one in short situations, and say them aloud. This CEFR-aligned mini-lesson helps you agree with suggestions and strongly confirm someone’s point.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and use いいですね (Ii desu ne) to show you like an idea.
  • Recognize and use そのとおりです (Sono tōri desu) to strongly agree or confirm a summary.
  • Level A2: Practice listening, choosing, and saying these polite agreement phrases in short dialogues.
A friendly group deciding on plans in Japanese; the image shows polite agreement and the theme of social glue.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

いいですね

Ii desu ne.

Good idea.

Meaning: Good idea.

When to use: Use いいですね (Ii desu ne) as a short, friendly response to a suggestion or plan when you like the idea.

週末にピクニックに行きませんか？いいですね。

Shūmatsu ni pikunikku ni ikimasen ka? Ii desu ne.

Shall we go on a picnic this weekend? Good idea.
新しいレストラン、試してみよう。いいですね。

Atarashii resutoran, tameshite miyō. Ii desu ne.

Let's try the new restaurant. Good idea.

そのとおりです。

Sono tōri desu.

Absolutely.

Meaning: Absolutely.

When to use: Use そのとおりです (Sono tōri desu) to strongly agree or confirm a summary, idea, or fact. It's a polite, firm agreement.

Tip: Beginner error: saying そうです instead. そうです is okay, but そのとおりです is a stronger confirmation of someone’s point.

問題の原因は連絡不足です。— そのとおりです。

Mondai no gen'in wa renraku busoku desu. — Sono tōri desu.

The cause of the problem is poor communication. — Absolutely.
あなたの説明で方針がはっきりしました。— そのとおりです。

Anata no setsumei de hōshin ga hakkiri shimashita. — Sono tōri desu.

Your explanation clarified the policy. — That's exactly right.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna suggests weekend plans and David agrees.

Anna and David talking by a window about weekend plans in Japanese, using polite agreement phrases.

What do Anna and David agree to do this weekend?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

今週末、みんなで海へ行かない？

Konshūmatsu, minna de umi e ikanai?

Shall we all go to the beach this weekend?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

いいですね。天気がよさそうだし。

Ii desu ne. Tenki ga yosasō da shi.

Good idea. The weather looks nice, too.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

早く出発すれば渋滞を避けられるよ。

Hayaku shuppatsu sureba jūtai o sakerareru yo.

If we leave early we can avoid traffic.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

そのとおりです。朝早く集合しましょう。

Sono tōri desu. Asa hayaku shūgō shimashō.

Absolutely. Let's meet early in the morning.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase best means 'Good idea.'?

Which phrase is best to strongly confirm someone’s summary (meaning 'Absolutely')?

You ask: 'Let's meet at 6?' Which short reply is most natural to accept the plan?

Someone summarizes a solution: 'We must improve communication and update the schedule.' What is the best short response to strongly agree?

The new cafe has good coffee. Shall we go? — Good idea.

新しいカフェ、コーヒーが美味しいよ。行く？ — ___

I'll summarize: first review the budget, then adjust the schedule — Absolutely.

会議で要点をまとめます。『まず予算を見直す、次にスケジュール調整』 — ___

Boss: I think the problem is lack of communication. Manager: Absolutely. First, let's improve contact methods.

上司: あの問題はコミュニケーション不足が原因だと思う。部長: ___。まずは連絡方法を改善しましょう。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

いいですね

Ii desu ne.

Good idea.

Say this phrase out loud:

そのとおりです。

Sono tōri desu.

Absolutely.