よくもそんなことを？
Yoku mo sonna koto o?
The English phrase "how dare you?" is translated into Japanese as よくもそんなことを？ (Yoku mo sonna koto o?)
What does it mean word for word?
The adverb よくも expresses the sense of "how (brazenly/boldly)", conveying that the speaker is shocked by the person's boldness.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
This phrasing is highly dramatic. It is most commonly heard in intense confrontations or in media like anime and manga rather than in polite, daily conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
In spoken Japanese, the sentence is often left unfinished with the particle を. This implies a missing verb such as shita (did) or itta (said), a technique used to heighten the emotional impact of the expression.
How do you pronounce it?
Yoku mo sonna koto o?
Did you know?
- In formal Japanese settings, the sentiment of 'how dare you' is often expressed not by a phrase, but by an exaggeratedly cold and polite tone that signals a total break in the relationship.
- In Japanese, the word yoku usually means 'often' or 'well', but when paired with the particle mo, its meaning flips to express indignation.
- When this phrase is used in anime, it is often accompanied by a specific visual cue like a 'popping vein' symbol on the forehead to emphasize the shock.
Example conversation
Yui confronts Ren after discovering he broke her favorite vase.
- 結衣 Yuiよくもそんなことを？Yoku mo sonna koto o?How dare you do such a thing?
- 蓮 Renわざとじゃないんだ。Wazato janai nda.I didn't do it on purpose.
- 結衣 Yui言い訳は聞きたくないわ。Iiwake wa kikitaku nai wa.I don't want to hear your excuses.
- 蓮 Ren本当にごめん。Hontou ni gomen.I am truly sorry.
