ラジオ英会話 24/11/7(木)L144 You could say that.
The phrase “You could say that” is used when you agree with something someone else said, but it might not be the whole story. It often implies that the statement is mostly true, but there’s a little more to it.
How to Use “You Could Say That”
To Agree, But with a Hint of Nuance
Example:
Person A: “So, you’re a manager?”
Person B: “You could say that.”
Meaning: Person B agrees they’re kind of a manager, but their role may be a bit different (e.g., they may have a similar level of responsibility without the official title of “manager”).
When Something Is Mostly True but Not Fully Accurate
Example:
Person A: “You must be tired after that long trip.”
Person B: “You could say that.”
Meaning: Person B agrees they’re tired, but maybe they’re more than just tired—they could be exhausted, overwhelmed, etc.
When You’re Being Slightly Humorous or Understated
Example:
Person A: “Looks like you’re a fan of coffee.” (seeing Person B with a large coffee)
Person B: “You could say that.”
Meaning: Person B is likely more than a fan of coffee—maybe they’re a bit obsessed, but they’re downplaying it.
In summary, “You could say that” is a way of agreeing while suggesting there’s a bit more to the story, often with a tone of understatement or slight humor. It’s a common phrase in conversational English for subtlety and nuance.
phrase freɪz フレーズ、表現
You could say that ju kʊd seɪ ðæt そうとも言える、まあそうかもしれない
agree əˈɡri 同意する
whole story hoʊl ˈstɔri 全体の話
imply ɪmˈplaɪ 暗示する
mostly true ˈmoʊstli tru ほぼ正しい
nuance ˈnjuːˌɑns ニュアンス、微妙な意味合い
manager ˈmænɪdʒər マネージャー
kind of kaɪnd ʌv 〜のような、ちょっと
official title əˈfɪʃəl ˈtaɪtəl 正式な肩書き
accurate ˈækjərət 正確な
mostly ˈmoʊstli ほとんど
long trip lɔŋ trɪp 長い旅行
exhausted ɪɡˈzɔstɪd 疲れ果てた
overwhelmed ˌoʊvərˈwɛlmd 圧倒された
humorous ˈhjumərəs ユーモラスな
understated ˈʌndərˌsteɪtɪd 控えめな
fan fæn ファン、愛好者
obsessed əbˈsɛst 取り憑かれた
downplaying daʊnˈpleɪɪŋ 控えめに表現する
subtlety ˈsʌtlti 微妙さ
tone toʊn 調子、トーン
conversational English ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃənəl ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ 会話的な英語
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