つまり・
つまり says the same thing another way, or sums it up: "in other words", "so basically". すなわち is its written twin, for an exact equivalent: "that is".
つまり
The store is open only on Saturdays and Sundays. In other words, it is closed on weekdays.
すなわち, in writing
An international conference was held in the capital of Japan, that is, Tokyo.
How to form it
Sentence。 つまり、+ the same thing put another way
It opens the new sentence. Both words also go between two nouns for the same person or thing: 父の兄、つまり伯父, "my father's older brother, in other words my uncle".
- After it
- The same thing in other words, a shorter summing-up, or what it comes to. In talk it often ends in ってこと.
- つまり
- Everywhere: conversation, explanations, writing.
- すなわち
- Written and stiff: textbooks, rules, academic writing, formal speeches. Often between two nouns.
In use
Users do not need to pay either a registration fee or a monthly fee. In other words, the service is free to use.
Two details, summed up in one line.
In conversation you say back what you have just heard, to check that you have understood. Or you ask the other person to get to the point.
I heard all of today's flights are canceled.
So basically, we can't get home today?
So what are you saying?
Not the "so" of a result
English "so" also brings in a result. つまり doesn't. What follows it is what the first sentence amounts to, not a new event.
Not said: 急に
(It suddenly started raining, so I bought an umbrella at a convenience store.)
Buying an umbrella isn't the rain said another way.
It suddenly started raining, so I bought an umbrella at a convenience store.
What came of the rain is それで.
Close neighbours
要するにN2
"In short": boils a long explanation down to its one main point.
The budget is smaller, the deadline is earlier, and there will be no additional staff. In short, we need to scale back the plan.
ということはN2
"Which means…": you work out something new from a fact. つまり mostly rewords what is already there.
The lights in the store are off. That means it has probably closed already.
結局N3
"In the end": how things turned out, after effort, doubt or a lot of talk. What follows is new, not the same thing said another way.
We talked it over for two hours, but in the end nothing was decided.
Check yourself
1Which one fits?
今朝は
Choose an answer to see why.
2Two friends are talking. Which one fits?
A
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
言い換えれば・言い換えると: "to put it another way"
It rewords, and says so: essays, explanations, presentations.
in writing
Seventy percent of the Earth's surface is sea. To put it another way, only thirty percent is land.
in a presentation
This car can go 600 kilometers on a single charge. To put it another way, you can get from Tokyo to Osaka without recharging.
More sentences
The meeting has been postponed until next week. In other words, we are not meeting tomorrow.
Reservations can be changed up to the day before. In other words, same-day changes are not possible.
The survey covers city residents, that is, people who live in the city.
The largest planet in the solar system, that is, Jupiter, has many moons.