Traditional Chinese - Lesson 78 of 152: Surprise

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

不會吧

Bù huì ba!

No way!

Meaning: 不會吧！

When to use: Use 不會吧！ (Bù huì ba!) when you hear something shocking or hard to believe. It is casual and very common in Taiwan.

Tip: Use this with friends or casual situations. It can sound too strong in very formal settings.

不會吧！你今天不用上班？

Bù huì ba! Nǐ jīntiān bú yòng shàngbān?

No way! You don’t have to work today?

不會吧！他又遲到了？

Bù huì ba! Tā yòu chídào le?

No way! He’s late again?

你是認真的嗎

Nǐ shì rènzhēn de ma?

Are you serious?

Meaning: 你是認真的嗎？

When to use: Use 你是認真的嗎？ (Nǐ shì rènzhēn de ma?) to ask if someone really means what they just said.

你是認真的嗎？你要搬到台南？

Nǐ shì rènzhēn de ma? Nǐ yào bān dào Táinán?

Are you serious? You’re moving to Tainan?

你是認真的嗎？這張票這麼便宜？

Nǐ shì rènzhēn de ma? Zhè zhāng piào zhème piányí?

Are you serious? This ticket is this cheap?

這還滿讓人意外的。

Zhè hái mǎn ràng rén yìwài de。

That's surprising.

Meaning: 這還滿讓人意外的。

When to use: Use 這還滿讓人意外的 (Zhè hái mǎn ràng rén yìwài de) when something is surprising, but you want to sound calm and natural.

他會說台語？這還滿讓人意外的。

Tā huì shuō Táiyǔ? Zhè hái mǎn ràng rén yìwài de.

He can speak Taiwanese? That’s surprising.

這家店今天沒開，這還滿讓人意外的。

Zhè jiā diàn jīntiān méi kāi, zhè hái mǎn ràng rén yìwài de.

This shop isn’t open today; that’s surprising.

真是驚喜

Zhēn shì jīngxǐ!

What a surprise!

Meaning: 真是驚喜！

When to use: Use 真是驚喜！ (Zhēn shì jīngxǐ!) for a pleasant surprise, like an unexpected visit, gift, or good news.

Tip: Use this for good surprises. For bad or shocking news, choose 不會吧！ (Bù huì ba!) or 真的假的！ (Zhēn de jiǎ de!) instead.

你來看我？真是驚喜！

Nǐ lái kàn wǒ? Zhēn shì jīngxǐ!

You came to see me? What a surprise!

這是給我的禮物？真是驚喜！

Zhè shì gěi wǒ de lǐwù? Zhēn shì jīngxǐ!

This is a gift for me? What a surprise!

我沒想到

Wǒ méi xiǎng dào.

I didn't expect that.

Meaning: 我沒想到。

When to use: Use 我沒想到 (Wǒ méi xiǎng dào) when something happened and you did not expect it.

他今天會來，我沒想到。

Tā jīntiān huì lái, wǒ méi xiǎng dào.

He would come today—I didn’t expect that.

你也喜歡這部電影？我沒想到。

Nǐ yě xǐhuān zhè bù diànyǐng? Wǒ méi xiǎng dào.

You like this movie too? I didn’t expect that.

真的嗎

Zhēn de ma?

Is that true?

Meaning: 真的嗎？

When to use: Use 真的嗎？ (Zhēn de ma?) to ask “Really?” or “Is that true?” after surprising information.

你找到新工作了？真的嗎？

Nǐ zhǎo dào xīn gōngzuò le? Zhēn de ma?

You found a new job? Really?

明天放假？真的嗎？

Míngtiān fàngjià? Zhēn de ma?

Tomorrow is a day off? Really?

哇，真的喔

Wā, zhēn de ō?

Wow, really?

Meaning: 哇，真的喔？

When to use: Use 哇，真的喔？ (Wā, zhēn de ō?) for a warm, casual “Wow, really?” It invites the other person to tell you more.

哇，真的喔？你在台北遇到他？

Wā, zhēn de ō? Nǐ zài Táiběi yù dào tā?

Wow, really? You ran into him in Taipei?

哇，真的喔？這家店很好吃？

Wā, zhēn de ō? Zhè jiā diàn hěn hǎochī?

Wow, really? This place is really good?

這有點難相信

Zhè yǒu diǎn nán xiāngxìn.

That's hard to believe.

Meaning: 這有點難相信。

When to use: Use 這有點難相信 (Zhè yǒu diǎn nán xiāngxìn) to politely say something is hard to believe.

他才學一個月就會說這麼多？這有點難相信。

Tā cái xué yí ge yuè jiù huì shuō zhème duō? Zhè yǒu diǎn nán xiāngxìn.

He studied for only one month and can say this much? That’s hard to believe.

這台手機只要一千塊？這有點難相信。

Zhè tái shǒujī zhǐ yào yì qiān kuài? Zhè yǒu diǎn nán xiāngxìn.

This phone is only one thousand NT dollars? That’s hard to believe.

真的假的

Zhēn de jiǎ de!

You're kidding!

Meaning: 真的假的！

When to use: Use 真的假的！ (Zhēn de jiǎ de!) as a very common casual Taiwan reaction meaning “You’re kidding!” or “For real?!”

Tip: This is casual. It is great with friends, but use a softer phrase like 真的嗎？ (Zhēn de ma?) in polite situations.

真的假的！你中了發票？

Zhēn de jiǎ de! Nǐ zhòng le fāpiào?

You’re kidding! You won the receipt lottery?

真的假的！他要結婚了？

Zhēn de jiǎ de! Tā yào jiéhūn le?

You’re kidding! He’s getting married?

這不可能吧

Zhè bù kěnéng ba.

That can't be right.

Meaning: 這不可能吧。

When to use: Use 這不可能吧 (Zhè bù kěnéng ba) when you doubt a statement or situation and think it probably cannot be right.

餐廳現在就客滿了？這不可能吧。

Cāntīng xiànzài jiù kèmǎn le? Zhè bù kěnéng ba.

The restaurant is already full? That can’t be right.

他說車票賣完了，這不可能吧。

Tā shuō chēpiào mài wán le, zhè bù kěnéng ba.

He said the train tickets are sold out. That can’t be right.

怎麼可能

Zěnme kěnéng?

How is that possible?

Meaning: 怎麼可能？

When to use: Use 怎麼可能？ (Zěnme kěnéng?) when you are surprised and want to express “How is that possible?”

你五分鐘就到了？怎麼可能？

Nǐ wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào le? Zěnme kěnéng?

You got here in five minutes? How is that possible?

他今天沒喝咖啡？怎麼可能？

Tā jīntiān méi hē kāfēi? Zěnme kěnéng?

He didn’t drink coffee today? How is that possible?

我完全不知道

Wǒ wánquán bù zhīdào.

I had no idea.

Meaning: 我完全不知道。

When to use: Use 我完全不知道 (Wǒ wánquán bù zhīdào) when you learn new information and want to say you had no idea before.

他已經回台灣了？我完全不知道。

Tā yǐjīng huí Táiwān le? Wǒ wánquán bù zhīdào.

He already came back to Taiwan? I had no idea.

今天有考試？我完全不知道。

Jīntiān yǒu kǎoshì? Wǒ wánquán bù zhīdào.

There’s a test today? I had no idea.

喔，我不知道耶。

Ō, wǒ bù zhīdào ye.

Oh, I didn't know that.

Meaning: 喔，我不知道耶。

When to use: Use 喔，我不知道耶 (Ō, wǒ bù zhīdào ye) as a light, casual way to say “Oh, I didn’t know that.” The 耶 (ye) makes it sound softer and more spoken.

喔，我不知道耶。這家店星期一休息。

Ō, wǒ bù zhīdào ye. Zhè jiā diàn xīngqíyī xiūxí.

Oh, I didn’t know that. This shop is closed on Mondays.

喔，我不知道耶。David 會做蛋糕。

Ō, wǒ bù zhīdào ye. David huì zuò dàngāo.

Oh, I didn’t know that. David can make cakes.

Traditional Chinese - Surprise

1. Reading + Listening Practice

2. Conversational Listening Practice

3. Guided Practice

Which phrase is the most casual way to say “No way!”

Which phrase is best for a pleasant unexpected visit or gift?

You want to ask if someone really means what they said. What do you say?

Which phrase means “I had no idea”?

David is moving to Taipei? Really?

You ran into Sarah in Taiwan? That’s hard to believe.

You came especially to see me? What a surprise!

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice