すごいでしょう
sugoi deshou
The English phrase "I am amazing" is translated into Japanese as すごいでしょう (sugoi deshou).
This phrase is used to boast about one's own skills or achievements to seek admiration from others.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more informal, casual, masculine and blunt way to say "I'm amazing, right?", you can use すごいだろ.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai dialect, the word meccha is used to mean "very" or "extremely".
How does it change in a sentence?
In Japanese, it is common to omit the subject, such as "I", when the context makes the speaker the subject. Therefore, すごいでしょう omits the subject.
How do you pronounce it?
sugoi deshou
Did you know?
- The word すごい originally meant 'terrible' or 'frightening' in ancient Japanese, describing things that were overwhelming or awe-inspiring in a scary way.
- Because Japanese culture often prioritizes humility, using すごいでしょう to boast can make a person appear incredibly arrogant or socially awkward in formal settings.
- Depending on the intonation, すごいでしょう can be used sarcastically to mock someone else's failure by pretending their mistake was actually a 'great' achievement.
Examples in context
- 私のピアノ、すごいでしょう？Watashi no piano, sugoi deshou?My piano playing is amazing, isn't it?
- テストで満点、すごいでしょう？Tesuto de manten, sugoi deshou?A perfect score on the test, isn't it amazing?
Example conversation
Yui shows Ren her new drawing.
- 結衣 Yuiこの絵、すごいでしょう？Kono e, sugoi deshou?This drawing is amazing, isn't it?
- 蓮 Ren本当だ、結衣は絵が上手だね。Hontou da, Yui wa e ga jouzu da ne.It really is, Yui, you are good at drawing.
- 結衣 Yuiえへへ、すごいでしょう！Ehehe, sugoi deshou!Ehehe, I'm amazing, right!
- 蓮 Renうん、天才だよ。Un, tensai da yo.Yeah, you're a genius.
