Translation guide
How to express surprise, disbelief, or seek confirmation in Japanese, depending on formality and context.
React to surprising or unexpected information in casual conversation.
The most common casual way to say 'really?'. Used with friends and family.
A: 明日引っ越すんだ。B: 本当？
A: I'm moving tomorrow. B: Really?
Very casual, slangy 'really?'. Common among young people. Can sound rough.
A: 宝くじ当たった！B: マジ？
A: I won the lottery! B: Really?
Literally 'lie!', used like 'no way!' or 'you're kidding!'. Expresses strong surprise.
A: 彼女と別れた。B: うそ！
A: I broke up with my girlfriend. B: No way!
React to surprising information in polite or formal situations.
Polite form of 'really?'. Safe for most situations with strangers, superiors, or in business.
A: 来月から東京支社に異動です。B: 本当ですか？
A: I'm being transferred to the Tokyo branch next month. B: Really?
Polite expression meaning 'Is that so?'. Shows interest and mild surprise.
A: 実は、会社を辞めることにしました。B: そうなんですか？
A: Actually, I've decided to quit the company. B: Really? / Is that so?
Ask someone to confirm if what they said is true or correct.
Adds emphasis, like 'really truly?'. Can be casual or polite depending on intonation and context.
A: 全部食べたよ。B: 本当に？
A: I ate it all. B: Really? (Are you sure?)
Casual, emphatic 'seriously?'. Used among close friends.
A: テスト満点だった。B: マジで？
A: I got a perfect score on the test. B: Seriously?
Polite confirmation. Can be used in formal settings.
A: この書類は明日までに必要です。B: 本当ですか？
A: This document is needed by tomorrow. B: Really? (Is that true?)
Show that you find something hard to believe, often with a nuance of doubt.
Casual, expresses doubt like 'I wonder if that's true'. Often used when you're skeptical.
A: 彼が自分でやったって。B: 本当かな？
A: He said he did it himself. B: Really? (I wonder...)
Casual, 'you're kidding, right?'. Implies disbelief.
A: 明日雪が降るらしいよ。B: うそでしょ？
A: Apparently it's going to snow tomorrow. B: You're kidding, right?
In English, 'really?' can be used as a filler or to show interest without actual surprise. In Japanese, using 本当？ too often can sound like you doubt the speaker. Use そうなんですか or へえ to show interest without skepticism.
A: 週末に映画を見ました。B: そうなんですか。
A: I watched a movie on the weekend. B: Oh, really? (showing interest)
本当 is standard and can be used in most situations. マジ is slang and should be avoided in formal contexts or with people you don't know well. マジで is even more emphatic and casual.