まさか (masaka)

Meaning & usage

まさか expresses strong disbelief that something could happen or be true, meaning no way or I can't believe it. It is an adverb that does not conjugate and often appears at the start of a sentence or before the surprising part, often together with patterns like なんて, とは思わなかった, だろうか, ないだろう, or sentence ending ね, and it can also be uttered alone as まさか. It is common in conversation and is not used with a plain affirmative だろう, since the following clause normally expresses denial, doubt, or surprise.

Example sentences 5

1. まさか彼かれが病気びょうきだなんて思おもわなかった。

   I never thought that he could be ill.

2. まさかここで君に会うなんて思ってもいなかった。

   You are the last person I expected to see here.

3. まさか、お前がそんなことするとはな。

   I never thought you'd do that.

4. まさかあそこで彼女に会うとは思わなかったよ。

   I never thought I'd see her there.

5. まさか海外で彼に会うとは、彼女は夢にも思わなかった。

   She had never dreamed of meeting him abroad.