Last Updated：2025/11/26

Used to indicate to the interlocutor that the situation being talked about could only be properly understood if that person had been present.

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you had to be there

Source Word

you had to be there

Phrase

Japanese Meaning

その場にいなければ、その状況の本当の意図や面白さなどが理解できなかったことを表す表現です。 / その状況が持つ独特の雰囲気や背景が、その場に居合わせなければ伝わらないことを示しています。

When the cat jumped onto the table and knocked over the cake, we were all in stitches — you had to be there to understand why it was so hilarious.

猫がテーブルに飛び乗ってケーキをひっくり返したとき、私たちは皆大笑いしていた。なぜそんなに面白かったのかは、その場にいなければ分からなかった。

Sense（1）

What he did was so hilarious, the way he was dancing... well, you had to be there.