Which one should you use?
While それは素晴らしいですね is an emphatic way to express that something is great, the alternative それはいいですね is a slightly more common and less intense way to say "that would be good".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase それは素晴らしいですね is a polite and standard way to express enthusiasm or agreement in social or professional settings due to the use of desu ne. For more informal situations, you might use それ、いいな to say "that would be good" or それ、最高だよ to say "that would be amazing". In highly formal contexts where you want to express that a suggestion would be a great help, you can use それは大変助かります.
How does it change in a sentence?
While the English phrase uses the conditional "would be", the Japanese phrase uses the present tense desu to express a positive reaction to a proposed idea.
How do you pronounce it?
Sore wa subarashii desu ne
Did you know?
- In a professional setting, telling a superior それは素晴らしいですね can sometimes sound overly evaluative, as if you are judging their idea. To be safer, many professionals prefer それは楽しみですね, meaning 'I am looking forward to that'.
- While English speakers often use 'that would be great' to accept an offer, Japanese speakers often use the word 'ureshii' (happy) to express the same feeling. Instead of saying the plan is great, they say 'it makes me happy'.
- When using それは大変助かります to say a suggestion would be a great help, the word 大変 ('taihen') is used. While it usually means 'terrible' or 'difficult' in other contexts, here it acts as an intensifier meaning 'very much'.
Examples in context
- プロジェクトの進行状況を報告していただけると、それは大変助かります。If you could update me on the progress of the project, that would be a great help.
- 明日一緒に映画を見に行けると、それ、いいな。If we can go watch a movie together tomorrow, that would be great.
Example conversation
Youta and Yui are discussing a plan to visit a museum.
- 陽太 Yota今週末に美術館へ行きませんか。Konshūmatsu ni bijutsukan e ikimasen ka.Would you like to go to the art museum this weekend?
- 結衣 Yuiいいですね！それは素晴らしいですね。Ii desu ne! Sore wa subarashii desu ne.That sounds good! That would be great.
- 陽太 Yotaでは、土曜日の十一時に待ち合わせましょう。Dewa, doyōbi no jū-ichi ji ni machiawasemashō.Then, let's meet at eleven o'clock on Saturday.
- 結衣 Yuiはい、よろしくお願いします。Hai, yoroshiku onegaishimasu.Yes, I look forward to it.
