「それ」の it と that It or That? Pointing in Conversation
代名詞 Pronouns
どちらも「それ」ですが、指すものが違います。that は相手の発言・直前の出来事を丸ごと指す(That's a good idea!)。it はすでに共有済みの「物」を続けて指す(Where did you buy it?)。会話の相づち・返しの主役は that です。
Both translate as それ, but they point at different things. That grabs whole chunks — what you just said, what just happened: That's a good idea! It keeps referring to a thing already on the table: Where did you buy it? In conversational comebacks, that is the star.
出来事をつかむ that、物を受け継ぐ it
That Grabs Events; It Carries Things
友達が「昇進したんだ」と言ったら、返しは That's great!(それはすごい!)。that が指しているのは「昇進したという発言・出来事」全体です。一方、話題にケーキが出てきて、そのケーキについて続けるなら It looks delicious.(おいしそう)。it は共有済みの物をバトンのように受け継ぎます。「出来事・発言=that、物の継続=it」が基本の絵です。
A friend says "I got promoted" — you answer That's great! The that scoops up the whole announcement. But once a cake is on the conversational table and you keep talking about it, it takes over: It looks delicious. That grabs events and statements; it carries an established thing forward like a baton.
会話での指し分け Pointing in real talk
— I passed the exam! — That's amazing!
「試験受かった!」「それはすごい!」
相手の発言・出来事を that でつかむ。 That grabs the whole announcement.
I got a new phone. It was cheaper than I expected.
新しいスマホを買ったんだ。思ったより安かったよ。
登場済みの物を it で続ける。 It carries the phone forward.
— Let's meet at seven. — That works for me.
「7時に会おう」「それでいいよ」
提案への返しも that。 Replies to proposals run on that.
that
相手の発言・出来事・提案をひとつかみ。返しの主役。 One grab of a statement, event, or proposal — the comeback star.
That's exactly what I mean.
まさにそれが言いたかったんだ。
it
共有済みの物・話題の継続。地の文の働き者。 Continuation of an established thing — the workhorse.
I've read the book twice. It's that good.
その本は2回読んだ。それくらい良いんだ。
よくある間違い Common Mistake
— Let's have a picnic on Saturday. — It's a good idea.
「土曜にピクニックしようよ」「いい考えだね」(のつもりで)
— Let's have a picnic on Saturday. — That's a good idea.
「土曜にピクニックしようよ」「いい考えだね」
文法の誤りではありませんが、相手の提案をその場で受け止める返しは That's ... が自然です。it だと「(すでに検討中の)例の案は良い」という続き物の響きになり、相づちの熱が下がります。会話の返しに迷ったら that、と覚えてください。
Not a grammar error — but the natural way to catch a fresh proposal is That's … With it, the reply sounds like a progress report on some plan already under review, and the warmth drops. For conversational comebacks, default to that.
- That's it. それだ!/以上です 探していた答えをつかむ「それだ!」と、締めの「以上」。どちらも that のつかむ動き。 The grab of discovery ("that's the one!") and the grab of closure ("we're done") — same reach.
- That's the point. そこなんだよ。 議論の核心を指差す that。 That, pointing straight at the heart of the argument.
- It depends. 場合によるね。 話題全体を it で受けて判断を保留する定番。 It holds the whole topic while the verdict waits.
- That said, ... とはいえ… 「そう言った上で」=直前の自分の発言を that でつかんで方向転換する接続表現。 "With that said" — grabbing your own last point to pivot away from it.
まとめ Summary
- 発言・出来事・提案への返し= that。 Replies to statements, events, proposals: that.
- 登場済みの物の継続= it。 Carrying an established thing forward: it.
- 会話の相づちに迷ったら That's ...。 When in doubt in conversation, open with That's …
- that =指差す、it =手元で持つ。 That points; it holds.