GRAMMAR
まさか
i never dreamed
no way
Explanation
NOTE
まさか is an adverb/exclamation expressing disbelief or shock — "no way", "I never dreamed", or "surely not".
まさか、彼女が結婚するなんて！
No way — I never dreamed she would get married!
Used here as an interjection to express surprise or disbelief at an unexpected event.
NOTE
Used alone as an exclamation (まさか！), at the start of a statement, or with negatives: まさか〜ないだろう ("Surely it's not that...").
まさかこんなことになるとは思わなかった。
I never dreamed things would turn out like this.
Often used with verbs of thinking (omou) to emphasize that the speaker had not even considered a possibility.
STRUCTURE
まさか ...
まさか彼が嘘をついているとは。
Masaka kare ga uso o tsuite iru to wa.
I can't believe he would be lying.
まさかあなたが犯人だったとは夢にも思わなかった。
Masaka anata ga hannin datta to wa yume ni mo omowanakatta.
I never even dreamed you were the culprit.
まさか雨が降るとは思わなかった。
Masaka ame ga furu to wa omowanakatta.
I never thought it would rain.
Practice exercises
1
まさか彼が優勝するとは。
まさか he would win the championship!
Answer
まさか
2
真逆あの人が勝つとは。
まさか that person would win.
Answer
真逆
3
まさか、彼が会社を辞めるとは思わなかった。
I never dreamed he would quit the company.
Answer
まさか
4
まさかこんな高い店に連れてきてくれるとは！
No way — I can't believe you took me to such an expensive restaurant!
Answer
まさか
5
まさか試験に落ちるとは夢にも思わなかった。
I never imagined I would fail the exam.
Answer
まさか
6
まさか雨が降るとは思わなかった。
I never thought it would rain.
Answer
まさか
7
まさか彼が嘘をついているとは。
I can't believe he would be lying.
Answer
まさか
8
まさかあなたが犯人だったとは夢にも思わなかった。
I never even dreamed you were the culprit.
Answer
まさか