How to use そんな (sonna): A Streetwise JLPT N4 Grammar Guide

sonna

そんな武器ぶきで俺おれを倒たおせると思おもってるのか?
You think you can take me down with a weapon like that?

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Think of “sonna” as that look you give someone when they say somethin’ completely outta pocket. It’s that “for real?” or “like that?” vibe. It ain’t just “such a”; it’s got attitude. It’s how you react when your homie says he’s gonna snitch, or when someone tries to sell you a fake Rolex. It’s a word you use to distance yourself from some whack idea or situation someone just brought up. It’s got that stank of disbelief, surprise, or even disgust on it, you feel me? It’s like when Tupac said, “They got money for wars, but can’t feed the poor.” That’s a “sonna” situation right there.


Aight, peep the breakdown on how to hook this up.

Word TypeHow to ConnectExampleEnglish
Nounそんな + Nounそんな話はなしは信しんじられない。I can’t believe a story like that.
な-adjectiveそんなに + な-adjこの仕事しごとはそんなに簡単かんたんじゃない。This job ain’t that easy.
い-adjectiveそんなに + い-adj彼かれはそんなに悪わるくない。He ain’t that bad of a guy.
Verbそんなに + Verbそんなに食たべるなよ。Don’t eat that much.

So here’s the 4-1-1. When you’re connecting “sonna” to a straight-up noun, you just slap it right on the front, no chaser. Like “sonna yatsu” (a dude like that). But when you’re talkin’ about adjectives or verbs, you gotta slide in that “ni” (に). It becomes “sonna ni.” This little “ni” is like the hype man, it adds emphasis to the adjective or action that follows, basically sayin’ “to that extent” or “that much.” It’s the difference between saying “that story” and “a story that wild.” You dig?


Using “sonna” is like holding a ten-foot pole. Imagine someone comes at you with some nonsense, like saying they can take down your whole crew by themselves. You ain’t gonna get close to that crazy talk. You hold up that ten-foot pole and say, “Whoa, back up.” That pole is “sonna.” It’s creating distance between you and the B.S. You’re not just describing it; you’re pushing it away, showing that you’re not about that life.


Check out how the real Gs use this joint.

そんな言いい訳わけは通用つうようしないぜ。
An excuse like that won’t fly, yo.

ボスがそんなことを言いうはずがない。
There’s no way the boss would say something like that.

お前まえ、そんな格好かっこうでシマを歩あるく気きか?
You plannin’ on walkin’ the turf dressed like that?

そんな噂うわさを流ながしたのはどこのどいつだ?
Who’s the punk that spread a rumor like that?

このヤマがそんなに難むずかしいとは思おもわなかった。
I didn’t think this heist would be that difficult.

警察けいさつはそんなに甘あまくないぞ。
The cops ain’t that soft, man.

あの若造わかぞうにそんな大金たいきんは任まかせられない。
I can’t trust that young punk with that kind of money.

そんな話はなし、まるで映画えいがみたいだな。
A story like that is just like a movie, ain’t it?

そんなに簡単かんたんに人ひとを信しんじるな。
Don’t trust people so easily like that.

俺おれのダチがそんな馬鹿ばかなことをするわけがない。
There’s no way my boy would do something stupid like that.


Stay strapped with knowledge. Peace out.

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