What does this mean?

[Strawberryzaaria]

I have a few Japanese friends, and when I hear them speaking they always say "そそそそそ" and "んんん" when they are talking to each other. What does this mean, and would I sound more fluent by speaking like this too?

 

[Strawberryzaaria]

It almost sounds like an agreement or to show they are listening but I'm not sure

 

[mdchachi]

You have noticed the phenomenon of aizuchi! It's sort of a verbal nodding of the head, a way of showing that you are engaged and listening.
And yes, if you use it correctly it will make it seem like you understand a lot more than you do.
See this thread (which was created before you were born ) that explains it: Aizuchi

 

[thomas]

You are right, both are affirmative colloquial phrases. "Sou" = exactly, un (うん) = yep.

 

[nice gaijin]

You have noticed the phenomenon of aizuchi! It's sort of a verbal nodding of the head, a way of showing that you are engaged and listening.
And yes, if you use it correctly it will make it seem like you understand a lot more than you do.
See this thread (which was created before you were born ) that explains it: Aizuchi

achievement unlocked! fluency +5

Other aizuchi sounds you'll hear in Japanese conversations:
はい（はいはいはい）
あ〜
へ〜
お〜
そうです（か/ね） and variations, like そうそうそう

Although some of these sound like they're saying "Yes," it's important to note that the function of aizuchi is that you're following the conversation, and not necessarily agreeing.

This channel has some good realistic conversations, isn't too hard, and has subtitles in English and hiragana, so I think it's good for listening practice. Jump a couple minutes in and listen for the aizuchi, and you'll notice it happens quite often, and usually at breaks in the sentence like where a comma or period would go.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Early 70's in Fukuoka , I must have heard "hi" a million times used like that.

 

[Lothor]

Interesting cultural difference from western countries, where people generally show that they are paying attention by silence (and appropriate body language).

 

[thomas]

Interesting cultural difference from western countries, where people generally show that they are paying attention by silence (and appropriate body language).

And here I thought British interlocutors would always use interjections like "Well, I never...", "I say...", or "blimey".

 

[Lothor]

And here I thought British interlocutors would always use interjections like "Well, I never...", "I say...", or "blimey".

Strike a light, guv'nor, you got me there! I think our interjections would mainly come at the end, and that most people would find the Japanese amount of interjections a bit odd/annoying when they were talking.