HSK 7–9 grammar · pattern
话（说）是这么说，不过/可/可是⋯⋯
话是这么说，不过⋯⋯ — that's all very well, but
Pattern
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( ) can be left out · other words may come before, between and after
How it works
话是这么说 accepts what the other person said in principle before raising the practical objection that follows. It is a polite way of disagreeing: the concession comes first, the real point after 不过.
Examples
话是这么说，可是做起来很难。
Huà shì zhème shuō, kěshì zuò qǐlái hěn nán.
That's all very well, but it's hard to actually do.
话说是这么说，不过我还是有点儿担心。
Huà shuō shì zhème shuō, búguò wǒ háishi yǒudiǎnr dānxīn.
True enough, but I'm still a little worried.
Related
See it in a story
In the app, 话（说）是这么说，不过/可/可是⋯⋯ is underlined wherever it appears in the stories you read, and practised with sentences from them. Free.