you wouldn't believe how/what/who...

INFORMAL
This page is about the conversational phrase you wouldn't believe how/what/who...

Meaning

You can say this if you're telling someone something that's unusual, surprising, or hard to imagine.

For example

  • "You wouldn't believe how cold it gets here! If you go outside, snot freezes in your nose!"

  • "You wouldn't believe what people eat in Cambodia!"
    "What?"
    "These huge deep-fried spiders! You get a whole bunch of 'em on a stick."

Note:
If someone uses this in a sentence and then stops, you can prompt them to continue by saying "Yeah?" or "Really?" or the question word in the middle of their sentence.

Quick Quiz

"You wouldn't believe how fast Louis drives!" Which is the best response?

a. "Yeah?"

b. "Why not?

c. "No, I wouldn't."
a) "Yeah?" b) "Why not? c) "No, I wouldn't."

Contributor: Matt Errey