Believe it or not Meaning in English
expression
bɪˈɫiv/ /ˈɪt/, /ɪt/ /ˈɔɹ/, /ɝ/ /ˈnɑt
buh-LEEV-it-er-NAHT
bɪlˈiːv/ /ˈɪt/ /ˈɔː/ /nˈɒt
bil-EEV-it-AWR-NOT
Definition
Used to introduce something surprising, hard to believe, or unexpected, either before or after sharing it.
Usage & Nuances
Informal, often at the start of a sentence. Common in storytelling or casual speech to highlight something surprising. You can use it before or after the fact, e.g. "Believe it or not, I won!" or "I won, believe it or not." Do not use in formal writing.
Spanish: creas o noPortuguese (BR): acredite se quiserPortuguese (PT): acredite se quiserChinese (Simplified): 信不信由你Chinese (Traditional): 信不信由你Hindi: विश्वास करो या न करोArabic: صدق أو لا تصدقBengali: বিশ্বাস করুন বা না করুনRussian: поверите или нет - хотите верьте, хотите нетJapanese: 信じられないかもしれませんがVietnamese: tin hay khôngKorean: 믿기 어렵겠지만 - 믿거나 말거나Turkish: inanmayacaksınız ama - ister inanın ister inanmayınUrdu: یقین کریں یا نہ کریںIndonesian: percaya atau tidak
Example Sentences
Believe it or not, I have never seen snow before.
basic
She finished the book in one day, believe it or not.
basic
Believe it or not, Tom speaks five languages.
basic
Believe it or not, I actually enjoyed the meeting.
natural
I’m training for a marathon, believe it or not.
natural
He bought a house with cash, believe it or not.
natural