How to use ~それに (~sore ni): A Streetwise JLPT N4 Grammar Guide

bad fashion

あのてきのボスは服装ふくそうのセンスがわるい。それに、くるまもダサい。
That rival boss has bad fashion sense. What’s more, his car is lame.

Category: ,

Yo, check it. 「それに」 is all about piling on the good stuff, or the bad stuff, depending on how you roll. It’s like you’re listing things out, and you wanna add one more reason or one more fact on top of what you already said. It’s like sayin’ “on top of that,” “what’s more,” or “plus.” You ain’t just connecting two random things; you’re building a case, ya dig? You’re adding another layer to your argument, making it stronger.

That 「に」 particle at the end ain’t just for show; it means you’re literally ‘adding on‘ to what you just said. Because of this, the second piece of info has to logically follow the first. That’s why you gotta keep it consistent. You’re stackin’ good points on top of good points, or bad points on top of bad points. It’s either all positive or all negative, you feel me? You can’t say, “This job pays well, and on top of that, it’s boring.” That don’t fly. You gotta keep the vibe the same.

Don’t Get It Twisted: それに (sore ni) vs. それで (sore de)

Aight, listen up, ’cause this is where rookies get tripped up. Don’t get 「それに」 twisted with its cousin, 「それで」 (sore de). They ain’t the same thing, not even close.

「それで」 is all about cause and effect, the ol’ one-two punch. The first sentence is the reason, the setup. The second sentence is the result, the punchline. It’s like sayin’ “and so,” “that’s why,” or “because of that.”

Think of it like this: Sentence A is “He snitched to the cops.” 「それで」 is the bridge. Sentence B is “He’s sleepin’ with the fishes now.” See? A led to B. It’s a chain reaction, capisce?

So, here’s the main difference on the street:

  • 「それに」 is for STACKIN’. You’re just piling more info on. It’s addition.
    • Example: あのアジトは安全あんぜんだ。それに、景色けしきもいい。
      -> That hideout is safe. On top of that, the view is good too. (Just two good facts.)
  • 「それで」 is for REACTIN‘. It’s all about consequence.
    • Example: てきつかった。それで、アジトをえた。
      -> The enemy found us. That’s why, we changed hideouts. (Reason -> Result).

Don’t mix ’em up, or you’ll sound like a fool.


Aight, peep this. 「それに」 is a straight-up connector, a conjunction, so you ain’t gotta worry about conjugating verbs or nothin’ like that. It just sits pretty between two sentences.

Here’s the blueprint for how you put it all together.

Sentence 1ConnectorSentence 2Translation
このくるまはやい。それに、かっこいい。This car is fast. On top of that, it’s cool.
かれ金持かねもちだ。それに、ちからつよい。He’s rich. What’s more, he’s powerful.
彼女かのじょあたまがいい。それに、奇麗きれいだ。She’s smart. In addition, she’s beautiful.

So, what’s the deal? It’s simple, really. You drop your first sentence, which states a fact or an opinion. Maybe you’re sayin’ “The boss is generous.” (ボスは気前きまえがいい). Then you wanna add another good thing about the boss. You drop 「それに」 right after that first sentence, follow it with a comma, and then lay down your second point, like “he’s also got a great sense of humor.” (ユーモアのセンスもある). See? You’re just stackin’ positives. It works the same for negatives. “This job is dangerous. On top of that, the pay is garbage.” It’s all about keepin’ that vibe consistent, ya hear me?


Here’s some fresh vocabulary you gotta know to roll with the crew.

脅迫状 (きょうはくじょう)

English: Blackmail letter; threatening letter.

Aight, listen up. A “kyouhakujou” is that piece of paper you get that’s all about puttin’ the squeeze on someone. It ain’t no friendly note, ya dig? This is that “I got the dirt on you, now pay up or else” type of situation. It’s the kind of letter that shows up and your whole world gets flipped upside down. Straight up, it’s a power move, a way to make someone sweat and control the whole damn board.


めちゃくちゃ

English: A mess; chaotic; absurd.

Yo, “mechakucha” is when things are all twisted and outta control. Imagine a deal gone bad, money flyin’ everywhere, people yellin’—that’s mechakucha. Or like when a plan is so jacked up it makes no sense, it’s just wild and all over the place. It’s that moment when you look at a situation and you’re like, “Damn, this is a straight-up disaster.” Pure chaos, you feel me?


刑事 (けいじ)

English: Detective; police investigator.

Check it, a “keiji” is the law, the fuzz, the five-o. But they ain’t just any beat cop. These are the cats who roll up when things get heavy, connectin’ the dots and huntin’ down the truth. They’re the ones kickin’ in doors, flippin’ tables, and puttin’ the pressure on to solve the crime. They live in the grime, tryin’ to clean up the streets, one bust at a time. They’re the players on the other side of the game.


の扱い (のあつかい)

English: The treatment of; how something/someone is handled.

“No atsukai” is all about how you play your cards, how you handle your business or your people. You talkin’ ’bout how a boss treats his crew? That’s their “atsukai.” How the feds are handling a case? That’s their “atsukai” too. It’s about the respect, the method, the whole vibe of how things are managed. You give someone a bad “atsukai,” you best believe there’s gonna be blowback. It’s all about the protocol, the way the game is played.


忠実 (ちゅうじつ)

English: Loyal; faithful; devoted.

“Chuujitsu.” Now this right here is the realest thing in the game. This is about bein’ ride or die for your crew, your family, your code. It means you don’t switch sides, you don’t snitch, and you always got your homie’s back, no matter how thick the heat gets. It’s that bond that’s stronger than steel, the foundation of any solid operation. Without “chūjitsu,” you ain’t got nothin’. It’s the code of the streets, straight up.


Check out how the real ones use it on the block.

この仕事しごと危険きけんだ。それに、給料きゅうりょうひくい。
This job is dangerous. On top of that, the pay is low.

かれじゅうあつかいがうまい。それに、ナイフも使つかえる。
He’s good with a gun. In addition, he can also use a knife.

警察けいさつおれたちをっている。それに、ライバルのギャングもさがしている。
The cops are after us. On top of that, the rival gang is also looking for us.

このさけつよい。それに、値段ねだんたかい。
This liquor is strong. In addition, it’s expensive.

あたらしいメンバーは忠実ちゅうじつだ。それに、くちかたい。
The new member is loyal. What’s more, he’s tight-lipped.

刑務所けいむしょ食事しょくじはひどい。それに、りょうすくない。
The food in prison is terrible. In addition, the portions are small.

あの刑事けいじはしつこい。それに、かんするどい。
That detective is persistent. On top of that, he has sharp instincts.

ボスのおくさんは綺麗きれいだ。それに、料理りょうりがめちゃくちゃ上手うまい。
The boss’s wife is beautiful. On top of that, she’s an insanely good cook.

運転うんてんしゅまちをよくらない。それに、運転うんてんがものすごくおそい。
The driver doesn’t know the city well. Plus, he drives incredibly slowly.

脅迫きょうはくじょうにスペルミスがあった。それに、キラキラのペンを使つかってしまった。
There was a spelling mistake in the threat letter. On top of that, I accidentally used a glitter pen.


Aight, that’s the bell. Class dismissed. Keep practicin’ and stay outta trouble.

Peace out, homies.

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