I understand that “そうですね” is use for agree with the speaker or sometime meaning like “isn’t it?”.
But I saw some sentences seem it’s mean like “That’s right” or “Yes” and it’s not use for agreement but seems synonym with “そうです” example in this link.
[https://nihongomaster.com/japanese/dictionary/word/95024/soudesune](https://nihongomaster.com/japanese/dictionary/word/95024/soudesune)
1. そうですね。下手にでてばかりもなんだし。かつ、倫理的ですね。
That’s right. It’s written in an unassuming fashion, and it’s an ethical standpoint as well.
2. そうですね。毎日練習する事が必要ですよ。
Yes, you need to practice every day.
Or this conversation which I found,
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090804085417/http://webmagazine.gentosha.co.jp/B-TEAM/vol208\_special\_qanda.html](https://web.archive.org/web/20090804085417/http://webmagazine.gentosha.co.jp/B-TEAM/vol208_special_qanda.html)
Q.15 「ふたりはプリキュア」から「ふたりはプリキュアMaxHeart」になった時には進級がありましたが、「Yes！プリキュア5」から「Yes！プリキュア5GoGo」で進級がなかったのは、こまち、かれんが卒業してしまうからでしょうか？
A. そうですね、高校生になるとか、学年が変わるということがやっぱり気にはなりました。番組を続ける議論のなかでは3年生は卒業させて新しいプリキュアを入れるべきだという話もありましたが、「プリキュア5」というのはこの5人以外あり得ない、この5人であるからこそ「プリキュア5」なんだよっていうことを言い続けた結果ああなりました。
In these examples especially the first two,”そうですね”meaning seem isn’t agreement but synonym with “そうです” but I am not sure about the last conversation. Please explain about it. And I want to know can I use “そうですね” instead “そうです” in some situation?
5 comments
I’m still a beginner myself, but my impression is that the confirmation description is just the easiest way to explain it, but not a 1:1 usage in Japanese. In many cases it’s used to soften your speech and not actually seeking confirmation. If you just make straight up statements without a ね you can give the impression of having a rather strong opinion and being a bit bossy, so in conversational Japanese it’s often added to come off as more friendly and inviting. そうです without anything could imply that your opinion is the one that matters and you are kind of the “authority” saying your conversational partner is correct, while そうですね keeps you more in a team, if that makes any sense. You will definitely get a feeling for it when listening to conversational Japanese regularly.
Yeah, you’re exactly right. It’s an affirmation, like “Yes, you’re right.” It also sometimes functions as a discourse marker, like “so,” “okay,” etc.
ね is a softener, like many phrases and intonations used in English. Of course, it’s all context-dependent, but saying simply そうです can come off as being blunt or authoritative. To exaggerate, think of the difference between how Dwight Schrute communicates and how most people would communicate in the business world. Dropping the softening language of things like “I’m not sure”, “well, I think”, “it seems like”, and “…right?” can really make you seem sonewhat rude and blunt.
そうですね is also sometimes a filler word to start your answer when somebody asks you a question, that has nothing to do with the answer itself. I think that’s what’s going on in the interview you posted, but it’s very common.
そうです: Yes, exactly / That’s right
そうですね: Well, kind of / Let me see