目錄
Korean 「설마」 is often translated into Chinese as 「該不會……吧」, but when you actually hear the word, it usually carries an extra sense of “surely that can’t really be the case.” For example, imagine that a friend has not shown up even though it is already past the time you agreed to meet, and the thought 「설마 약속을 잊은 건 아니겠지?」 crosses your mind. You are not calmly wondering whether the person forgot the appointment. You originally thought there was no way they would forget, but the longer you wait, the more suspicious the situation begins to feel. 「설마」 is used precisely in situations like this: you originally had an answer in mind—“that probably wouldn’t happen”—but what you are seeing starts to make you less certain. This is why it differs from the ordinary questioning of 「혹시」 and the general speculation of 「아마」. It is also why characters in Korean dramas often see a photo or hear a name and simply say 「설마……」 without finishing the sentence.
What Does Korean 「설마」 Mean? The Doubt Behind “Surely Not”
「설마」 is a Korean adverb commonly translated into Chinese as 「該不會」「難道」「不會吧」, but when it is actually spoken, the speaker is usually not simply asking whether something is possible. Instead, they already tend to believe that “surely it would not happen that way.” Only after noticing certain signs does another thought gradually emerge: could it really have happened? This is why 「설마」 often appears in situations involving surprise, worry, or something the speaker is reluctant to believe.
For example, if someone you were supposed to meet still has not shown up, you might say:
- Example: 설마 잊어버린 거야?
Romanization: seol-ma i-jeo-beo-rin geo-ya?
Translation: You didn’t actually forget, did you?
This is not simply asking “Did you forget?” The speaker originally thought there was no way the other person would forget, but after waiting for a while and beginning to sense that something is wrong, the possibility “Could they really have forgotten?” comes to mind.
If you simply want to confirm whether someone forgot something, without especially believing that forgetting would be unlikely, 「설마」 is not always necessary. What 「설마」 adds is the feeling of “I was not originally thinking in this direction, but now it is starting to look more and more possible.” That is also why 「설마」 and 「혹시」 can both appear in questions but do not sound the same. 「혹시」 is more like raising one possibility and checking it, whereas 「설마」 reveals that the situation was originally outside the speaker’s expectations.
Common Patterns with Korean 「설마」: -겠어?, 아니겠지?, -는 건 아니겠지?
「설마」 itself does not require any special conjugation. It is an adverb, so the ending that follows it is what actually determines the sentence’s tone. In everyday Korean, forms such as 「설마＋-겠어?」「설마＋아니겠지?」「설마＋-는 건 아니겠지?」 are particularly common.
| Common Structure | General Nuance | Typical English Sense |
| 설마 + -겠어? | The speaker thinks it is unlikely | How could…? / Surely…wouldn’t? |
| 설마 + -겠어요? | A more polite rhetorical question | Surely…wouldn’t, right? |
| 설마 + -겠지? | Anxious confirmation | Surely…right? / …won’t, right? |
| 설마 + 아니겠지? | Hoping that it is not so | Surely not, right? |
| 설마 + -는 건 아니겠지? | Worrying that a situation may be real | You’re not…are you? |
| 설마 + -지는 않겠지? | Hoping something will not happen | Surely…won’t, right? |
| 설마? | Standalone surprise | No way? / Really? |
| 설마! | Strong disbelief | No way! / Impossible! |
「겠」 is especially common with 「설마」 because 「겠」 itself can involve inference, intention, or judgment. Combined with 「설마」, it easily creates rhetorical meanings such as “surely it wouldn’t…” or “how could that possibly…?”
Three Common Uses of Korean 「설마」: “Could It Be…?”, “No Way,” and “Seriously?”
Usage ①｜Expressing Worry or Suspicion: “Could It Be…?”
The most common use of 「설마」 is when a situation you originally did not really believe could happen suddenly starts to seem possible. In Chinese, it is close to 「該不會……吧」. These sentences are usually not simply requests for information. They carry surprise, anxiety, or reluctance to believe something. The speaker generally hopes the answer will be negative.
- Example: 설마 약속을 잊어버린 거야?
Romanization: seol-ma yak-ssok-eul i-jeo-beo-rin geo-ya?
Translation: You didn’t forget our plans, did you?
The speaker originally believed the other person would not forget, but perhaps because they have not appeared or contacted them, the speaker begins to suspect the outcome they least want to be true. - Example: 설마 아직도 회사에 있는 건 아니겠지?
Romanization: seol-ma a-jik-do hoe-sa-e in-neun geon a-ni-get-ji?
Translation: You’re not still at the office, are you?
「-는 건 아니겠지?」 already has the sense of confirming “surely it isn’t that…,” and adding 「설마」 makes the anxiety and disbelief even more obvious. - Example: 설마 혼자 다 하려고 하는 건 아니죠?
Romanization: seol-ma hon-ja da ha-ryeo-go ha-neun geon a-ni-jyo?
Translation: You’re not planning to do all of it by yourself, are you?
This is not simply asking about the person’s plan. The speaker considers “doing everything alone” unreasonable, so they confirm with surprise whether the other person really intends to do that.
Usage ②｜Expressing Strong Negative Expectation: “How Could That Be?”
「설마」 is also commonly used to express the strong expectation that something “should logically be impossible.” In these cases, it often appears with 「-겠어?」「-겠어요?」 to form a rhetorical question. Although the sentence ends in a question mark, the speaker is not actually uncertain. Instead, they are expressing something like “surely that could not happen” or “how could that possibly be true?”
- Example: 설마 그 사람이 거짓말을 하겠어?
Romanization: seol-ma geu sa-ram-i geo-jin-ma-reul ha-ge-sseo?
Translation: How could that person possibly lie?
Although this is formally a question, the speaker is inclined to believe that the person would not lie, so the sentence has a clear rhetorical quality. - Example: 설마 오늘 안에 다 끝낼 수 있겠어요?
Romanization: seol-ma o-neul an-e da kkeun-nael su it-ge-sseo-yo?
Translation: How could you possibly finish all of it today?
「설마」 with 「겠어요?」 is not seriously asking about ability. The speaker believes the chance of finishing is very low, so “how could that be possible?” is the more natural interpretation. - Example: 설마 그렇게 중요한 일을 아무에게도 말하지 않았겠어?
Romanization: seol-ma geu-reo-ke jung-yo-han i-reul a-mu-e-ge-do mal-ha-ji a-nat-ge-sseo?
Translation: Surely you didn’t tell absolutely no one about something that important?
The speaker considers it unreasonable that nobody at all was told, so 「설마」 expresses strong doubt rather than a neutral request for facts.
Usage ③｜Using 「설마」 Alone: “No Way” or “Seriously?”
「설마」 can also stand entirely on its own as a complete reaction. In this use, it is very close to conversational English expressions such as “No way?”, “Seriously?”, or “That can’t be true!” Its tone can range from mild surprise to strong disbelief, and the exact meaning depends on intonation and context.
- Example: A：민수가 다음 달에 결혼한대.
Romanization: min-su-ga da-eum da-re gyeol-hon-han-dae.
Translation: I heard Minsu is getting married next month.
B：설마! - Example: A：이번 시험 전부 만점 받았어.
Romanization: i-beon si-heom jeon-bu man-jeom ba-da-sseo.
Translation: I got full marks on every part of this exam.
B：설마? 진짜야? - Example: A：우리 팀이 우승했어!
Romanization: u-ri ti-mi u-seung-hae-sseo!
Translation: Our team won the championship!
B：설마! 정말?
What Is the Difference Between 「설마」「혹시」「아마」「정말」?
「설마」「혹시」「아마」「정말」 can all appear in situations where something is still uncertain, but they actually perform different functions. 「설마」 means that the speaker originally thought something was unlikely but is now beginning to suspect it. 「혹시」 simply raises a possible scenario for confirmation and does not necessarily involve surprise. 「아마」 is not used to ask the other person for confirmation, but to express the speaker’s own prediction. 「정말」 checks whether information that has already been presented is actually true. Rather than memorizing them only as “surely not,” “perhaps,” “probably,” and “really,” it is easier to see their differences by putting them into the same situation.
| Comparison | 「설마」 | 「혹시」 | 「아마」 | 「정말」 |
| Main nuance | Originally thought it would not happen, now beginning to doubt | Keeps one possibility open and checks it | Makes a prediction based on the current situation | Confirms whether something is true |
| Was there already an expectation? | Yes, usually leaning toward “surely not” | Not necessarily; it may just be one possible idea | Yes, the speaker has their own judgment or guess | The main point is truth, not the original expectation |
| Does it carry disbelief? | Very clearly | Usually not | No | Depends on context |
| Main function | Doubt, rhetorical questioning, surprise | Asking, probing, leaving possibilities open | Predicting an outcome | Confirming information already heard |
| Common patterns | 설마 … 거야?／설마 … 아니겠지?／설마 …겠어? | 혹시 …예요?／혹시 … 거예요?／혹시 … 알아요? | 아마 …-(으)ㄹ 거예요／아마 … 것 같아요 | 정말 … 거야?／정말 …예요?／정말? |
| Common English translations | surely not, no way, how could | perhaps, by any chance, maybe | probably, perhaps | really, is that true |
| Emotional intensity | Relatively high | Relatively low | Usually low | Depends on context |
「설마」 vs 「혹시」｜“Surely Not?” vs “Could It Possibly Be?”
「혹시」 is used when the speaker is uncertain and simply raises one possibility to check it. For example, 「혹시 시간 있어요?」 simply asks whether the other person has time. It does not imply that having time would be surprising. 「설마」 adds the idea that the speaker originally thought the situation was unlikely. Usually, some evidence appears in front of them and makes them begin to suspect what they previously did not believe. So even though both may sometimes be translated similarly, the real difference is whether the speaker already had the thought “surely that wouldn’t happen.”
- Example: 혹시 제 지갑 보셨어요?
Romanization: hok-ssi je ji-gap bo-syeo-sseo-yo?
Translation: Have you happened to see my wallet?
This simply asks whether the other person has seen the wallet and treats “perhaps they know” as one possibility. There is no sense of shock or disbelief. - Example: 혹시 오늘 시간 있어요?
Romanization: hok-ssi o-neul si-gan i-sseo-yo?
Translation: Do you happen to have time today?
「혹시」 makes the question slightly more tentative. It does not assume that the person is free, nor does it make being free sound surprising. - Example: 설마 지갑을 잃어버린 거야?
Romanization: seol-ma ji-ga-beul i-reo-beo-rin geo-ya?
Translation: You didn’t lose your wallet, did you?
The speaker was not originally seriously considering the possibility that the wallet was lost, but after searching for some time and still not finding it, that unwanted possibility begins to emerge. - Example: 설마 오늘 약속을 잊은 거야?
Romanization: seol-ma o-neul yak-ssok-eul i-jeun geo-ya?
Translation: You didn’t forget today’s appointment, did you?
The speaker originally trusted that the other person would not forget, but after waiting and seeing no sign of them, the doubt “surely they didn’t actually forget?” begins to surface.
「설마」 vs 「아마」｜“Surely Not” vs “Probably”
「아마」 is used for ordinary speculation. The speaker looks at the situation and judges that something will probably happen or is probably true. The focus is probability. 「설마」 is not simply about estimating probability. The speaker originally leaned toward believing that something would not happen but is now beginning to reconsider. For example, 「아마 내일 비가 올 거예요」 predicts that it will probably rain tomorrow, while 「설마 내일도 비가 오겠어?」 means something closer to “surely it won’t rain again tomorrow.”
- Example: 아마 내일 비가 올 거예요.
Romanization: a-ma nae-il bi-ga ol geo-ye-yo.
Translation: It will probably rain tomorrow.
This is simply a prediction about tomorrow’s weather. There is no sense that rain would be surprising; 「아마」 is concerned with probability. - Example: 아마 민수는 조금 늦을 거야.
Romanization: a-ma min-su-neun jo-geum neu-jeul geo-ya.
Translation: Minsu will probably be a little late.
Perhaps the speaker knows Minsu is still on the way, or is making an ordinary judgment based on the current situation. The expression itself contains no surprise. - Example: 설마 내일도 비가 오겠어?
Romanization: seol-ma nae-il-do bi-ga o-get-sseo?
Translation: Surely it won’t rain again tomorrow, right?
It may already have been raining for several days. The speaker hopes, and is inclined to believe, that it will not rain again, so this is not an ordinary weather forecast. - Example: 설마 민수가 오늘도 늦겠어?
Romanization: seol-ma min-su-ga o-neul-do neut-get-sseo?
Translation: Surely Minsu won’t be late again today, right?
「설마」 reveals that the speaker originally thought “he probably won’t be late again today,” while 「-겠어?」 turns that assumption into a rhetorical question.
「설마」 vs 「정말」｜“No Way?” vs “Really?”
「정말」 confirms whether something already presented is actually true, and whether the speaker originally believed it is not the central issue. 「설마」 begins with the prior assumption that “this probably cannot be true,” so it carries more surprise or disbelief. This is why 「설마? 정말이야?」 can be said in sequence: the first sentence reacts with “No way,” while the second actually asks “Is it true?”
- Example: 정말 그 사람이 왔어?
Romanization: jeong-mal geu sa-ram-i wa-sseo?
Translation: Did that person really come?
Someone has already said that the person came, and the speaker is simply checking whether the news is true. It does not necessarily mean the speaker originally thought the event was impossible. - Example: 정말 다음 달에 결혼해?
Romanization: jeong-mal da-eum da-re gyeol-hon-hae?
Translation: Are you really getting married next month?
The point is to confirm whether the information “getting married next month” is true. Whether the speaker is surprised depends on context rather than on 「정말」 itself. - Example: 설마 그 사람이 온 거야?
Romanization: seol-ma geu sa-ram-i on geo-ya?
Translation: Could it really be that person?
The speaker did not expect that person to appear, but after seeing some sign, begins to wonder whether it really is them. - Example: 설마 다음 달에 결혼하는 거야?
Romanization: seol-ma da-eum da-re gyeol-hon-ha-neun geo-ya?
Translation: You’re not getting married as soon as next month, are you?
Marriage itself may not be surprising. What exceeds expectations is the fact that it is happening “as soon as next month,” and 「설마」 directly expresses that sense of surprise.
▌Same Situation Comparison｜A Friend Still Hasn’t Shown Up: What Changes with Each Word?
Suppose you arranged to meet Minsu, but a long time has passed and he still has not appeared. At this point, the possibility that “Minsu may not come today” has already entered your mind, but the adverb you choose directly reveals how you are viewing the situation. 「설마」 means something like “surely he isn’t actually not coming.” 「혹시」 simply treats “not coming today” as one possible explanation. 「아마」 means you have already begun to conclude that he probably will not show up. 「정말」 is usually used after someone has told you that Minsu is not coming, and you are checking whether that information is actually true.
- Example: 설마 민수가 오늘 안 오는 거야?
Romanization: seol-ma min-su-ga o-neul an o-neun geo-ya?
Translation: Minsu isn’t really not coming today, is he?
When using 「설마」, the speaker originally leans toward believing that Minsu will come. Only as more time passes does the thought “surely he isn’t actually not coming” emerge, so the sentence carries clear surprise and reluctance to believe it. - Example: 혹시 민수가 오늘 안 오는 거야?
Romanization: hok-ssi min-su-ga o-neul an o-neun geo-ya?
Translation: Is Minsu perhaps not coming today?
With 「혹시」, the surprise becomes much weaker. The speaker has simply thought of “maybe he is not coming today” as a possibility and is checking it, without treating it as absurd or especially hard to believe. - Example: 아마 민수는 오늘 안 올 거야.
Romanization: a-ma min-su-neun o-neul an ol geo-ya.
Translation: Minsu probably isn’t coming today.
「아마」 is no longer a question. The speaker is stating their own judgment. Perhaps a lot of time has passed and messages have gone unanswered, so they infer that he probably will not come. Compared with 「설마」, there is less emotional resistance. - Example: 정말 민수가 오늘 안 오는 거야?
Romanization: jeong-mal min-su-ga o-neul an o-neun geo-ya?
Translation: Is Minsu really not coming today?
「정말」 focuses on whether the information is true. Usually someone has already said “Minsu isn’t coming today,” and the speaker then asks for confirmation. It does not necessarily imply that the speaker had assumed Minsu would definitely come, nor is it a prediction like 「아마」.
How Should You Understand 「설마 아니겠지?」 and 「설마 그렇겠어?」
Sometimes 「설마」 is followed by no explicit negative expression, yet the natural translation is “surely not.” At other times, forms such as 「아니겠지」 or 「-지 않겠지」 already contain negation and can make the sentence feel more confusing. Rather than counting how many negatives appear, it is easier to focus on two things: what possibility the speaker is currently imagining, and what outcome they are hoping for. 「설마」 itself already carries the assumption that “surely that would not normally happen,” while 「-겠어?」 or 「-겠지?」 turns that assumption into a rhetorical question or anxious confirmation. The National Institute of Korean Language also includes examples such as 「설마 … 온 건 아니겠지?」, consistent with the underlying meaning of 「설마」 as 「그럴 리는 없겠지만 혹시나」.
| Common Form | Surface Meaning | What the Speaker Is Really Worried About / Suspecting | Typical English Sense |
| 설마 + 아니겠지? | Surely not, right? | Worries that the previously mentioned possibility may actually be true | Surely not? / It isn’t really…is it? |
| 설마 + -는 건 아니겠지? | Surely you are not…? | An unwanted situation may actually be happening | You’re not…are you? |
| 설마 + 그렇겠어? | Would that really happen? | The speaker actually leans toward “it would not” | How could that be? / Surely not |
| 설마 + -겠어? | Would that really happen? | The speaker believes the event is unlikely | How could…? / Surely…wouldn’t? |
| 설마 + -지는 않겠지? | Surely…won’t, right? | Hopes something undesirable will not happen | Surely…won’t, right? |
| 설마 + 안 V-지는 않겠지? | Surely they won’t “not do” it? | Worries that someone may fail to do something they were expected to do | Surely they won’t not…? |
▌「설마 아니겠지?」｜Hoping the Possibility You Just Thought of Is Not True
In 「설마 아니겠지?」, 「아니다」 really is negative, but the whole sentence cannot be understood simply by mechanically mapping 「아니」 to “not.” Usually, an unsettling possibility has already entered the speaker’s mind. They are thinking about it, but at the same time they want the answer to be negative, so they ask something like “surely it isn’t really that, right?” When the content is fully stated, the result is often 「설마 N은/는 아니겠지?」 or 「설마 -는 건 아니겠지?」.
- Example: 설마 민수가 범인은 아니겠지?
Romanization: seol-ma min-su-ga beo-mi-neun a-ni-get-ji?
Translation: Minsu isn’t the culprit, is he?
The possibility “Minsu might be the culprit” has already occurred to the speaker, but they still lean toward believing that he is not, so 「아니겠지?」 carries the expectation of a negative answer. - Example: 설마 약속을 잊은 건 아니겠지?
Romanization: seol-ma yak-ssok-eul i-jeun geon a-ni-get-ji?
Translation: You didn’t forget our appointment, did you?
What the speaker is really worried about is “forgetting the appointment.” Although 「-는 건 아니겠지?」 contains formal negation, it is more natural to translate the meaning as “you didn’t forget, did you?” rather than mechanically preserving every negative element. - Example: 설마 집에 아이를 혼자 두고 온 건 아니겠지?
Romanization: seol-ma ji-be a-i-reul hon-ja du-go on geon a-ni-get-ji?
Translation: You didn’t leave the child home alone, did you?
This form works especially well when a worrying possibility suddenly comes to mind. The speaker hopes that “leaving the child alone at home” did not happen, so they use 「아니겠지?」 to check. The Korean Basic Dictionary published by the National Institute of Korean Language also includes an example with the same structure.
▌「설마 그렇겠어?」｜No Negative Word, but the Sentence Still Rejects the Possibility
The most confusing thing about 「설마 그렇겠어?」 is that it contains neither 「안」 nor 「아니다」, yet it is often naturally understood as “surely that cannot be true” or “how could that happen?” The reason is not that a negative word has been omitted. The entire sentence is rhetorical. 「설마」 first signals “surely it would not normally be so,” and 「그렇겠어?」 asks “would it really be like that?” The answer the speaker is actually inclined toward is “no.”
- Example: 설마 민수가 일부러 그랬겠어?
Romanization: seol-ma min-su-ga il-bu-reo geu-raet-ge-sseo?
Translation: Minsu wouldn’t have done that on purpose, would he?
/ How could Minsu have done that deliberately?
There is no negative word, but the speaker is not neutrally asking whether Minsu did it intentionally. They lean toward believing that he would not deliberately do such a thing. Here, 「설마＋-겠어?」 clearly forms a rhetorical question. - Example: 설마 그 사람이 그런 말을 하겠어?
Romanization: seol-ma geu sa-ram-i geu-reon ma-reul ha-ge-sseo?
Translation: How could that person possibly say something like that?
The sentence formally asks whether the person would say it, but the speaker is actually closer to believing that they would not. So the affirmative-looking form 「하겠어?」 should not be interpreted as a neutral question about possibility. - Example: A：민수가 일부러 연락을 안 한 것 같아.
Romanization: min-su-ga il-bu-reo yeon-ra-geul an han geot ga-ta.
Translation: It seems like Minsu deliberately didn’t contact us.
B：설마 그렇겠어?
▌「설마 안 오지는 않겠지?」｜With Two Negatives, Focus on What the Speaker Is Actually Afraid Of
「설마 안 오지는 않겠지?」 looks especially complicated because it contains 「안 오다」 and then another negative form in 「-지 않겠지」. The easiest approach is to identify what the speaker is worried about: 「안 오다」 means “not come.” The following 「-지는 않겠지?」 then checks that this situation surely will not happen, so the speaker’s actual expected outcome is “they will come.”
- Example: 설마 민수가 안 오지는 않겠지?
Romanization: seol-ma min-su-ga an o-ji-neun an-get-ji?
Translation: Surely Minsu isn’t going to not come, right?
What makes the speaker anxious is 「민수가 안 오다」—Minsu not coming. The sentence expresses the hope that this will not happen, so the expected result is still “Minsu will come.” - Example: 설마 오늘까지 연락을 안 하지는 않겠지?
Romanization: seol-ma o-neul-kka-ji yeon-ra-geul an ha-ji-neun an-get-ji?
Translation: Surely they won’t still fail to contact us even today, right?
The concern is continued lack of contact. Although both 「안 하다」 and 「-지 않겠지」 appear, the sentence should not be understood by mechanically canceling out the two negatives. It carries the expectation that “at least they should contact us today.” - Example: 설마 이 중요한 일을 그냥 넘어가지는 않겠지?
Romanization: seol-ma i jung-yo-han i-reul geu-nyang neo-meo-ga-ji-neun an-get-ji?
Translation: Surely they won’t just let something this important slide, right?
Here, 「넘어가다」 means to let something pass without dealing with it. The speaker is worried that the issue may really be ignored, so 「-지는 않겠지?」 expresses anxious confirmation that “surely that will not happen.”
How 「설마」 Is Used in Korean Dramas and Everyday Conversation: From “No Way” to “Could It Really Be…?”
In Korean dramas, 「설마」 often appears at the exact moment when a suspicion is beginning to take shape. A character sees a familiar name, a photo, or some other clue. Until then, they have thought “that can’t be possible,” but what is in front of them makes the possibility harder and harder to ignore. At that point, they may simply say 「설마……」. For example, 「설마 이 사람이……」 means something like “Could this person possibly be…?” Even if the sentence is left unfinished, the audience can already understand what the character is thinking. Unlike an ordinary question, the point is not to get an answer immediately, but to capture the moment when an idea the speaker did not believe in suddenly begins to seem plausible.
In everyday conversation, 「설마」 is not necessarily that dramatic. If a friend suddenly says they are getting married, quitting their job, or doing something completely unexpected, the first response may simply be 「설마?」, very close to “No way?” or “Seriously?” in English. If a complete sentence follows, such as 「설마 진짜 가는 거야?」, the meaning becomes “Are you really going?” with the nuance of “surely not.” So the 「설마……」 heard in Korean dramas and the 「설마?」 used among friends are fundamentally the same feeling. One stops at the moment of shock, while the other is a quick spoken reaction to unexpected news.
▌Situation ①｜A Friend Still Hasn’t Shown Up
A：벌써 약속 시간이 30분이나 지났어.
beol-sseo yak-ssok si-gan-i sam-sip bu-ni-na ji-na-sseo.
It’s already been 30 minutes past the time we agreed to meet.
B：설마 약속을 잊은 건 아니겠지?
seol-ma yak-ssok-eul i-jeun geon a-ni-get-ji?
They didn’t forget our appointment, did they?
📌 Grammar Point: 「설마＋-는 건 아니겠지?」 is commonly used when the speaker originally thought something would not happen but is now beginning to worry about it. The speaker usually hopes their suspicion is wrong.
▌Situation ②｜Hearing Hard-to-Believe News
A：회사에서 갑자기 해외 발령이 났대.
hoe-sa-e-seo gap-ja-gi hae-oe bal-lyeong-i nat-dae.
I heard the company suddenly gave them an overseas assignment.
B：설마 다음 달부터 바로 가는 거야?
seol-ma da-eum dal-bu-teo ba-ro ga-neun geo-ya?
You’re not leaving immediately starting next month, are you?
📌 Grammar Point: The situation itself is already surprising, and the additional information that the person will leave “as early as next month” goes even further beyond expectations. 「설마」 therefore expresses the feeling “surely even that isn’t true.”
▌Situation ③｜A Friend Makes an Exaggerated Joke
A：나 회사 그만뒀어.
na hoe-sa geu-man-dwo-sseo.
I quit my job.
B：설마. 또 장난치는 거지?
seol-ma. tto jang-nan-chi-neun geo-ji?
No way. You’re joking again, right?
📌 Grammar Point: The first 「설마」 can stand alone and first expresses disbelief. The following 「장난치는 거지?」 then presents what the speaker considers a more likely explanation.
Cultural Notes:
- 「설마」 depends heavily on intonation. The same 「설마?」 with rising intonation can sound like “No way? Really?”, while stronger emphasis can make it closer to “Impossible!” Drawing out the word can express shock or uncertainty. Looking only at a dictionary translation can easily miss these emotional differences.
- 「설마」 is not inherently negative. Although it often appears with worry or bad feelings, its core meaning is simply that something exceeds the speaker’s prior expectations. This means it can also be used for unexpectedly winning a prize, getting full marks, receiving a confession from someone you like, or other positive surprises.
- In Korean conversation, 「설마」 frequently appears together with 「아니겠지」「그렇겠어」「진짜야」. 「설마」 expresses disbelief, while the following ending or question handles confirmation, rhetorical force, or negation. For that reason, 「설마」 should not be interpreted in isolation; the sentence ending also matters.
How Korean 「설마」 Compares with Japanese 「まさか」
◆ Similar Expression: 「まさか」
Japanese 「まさか」 and Korean 「설마」 can be very similar in conversation. Both are commonly used when the speaker originally thought something would not happen but has now begun to doubt that assumption. This is why they are often translated in Chinese as 「該不會……吧」「難道……」「不會吧」. If someone you were supposed to meet still has not appeared, Japanese can say 「まさか約束を忘れたんじゃないでしょうね」, while Korean can say 「설마 약속을 잊은 건 아니겠지?」. Neither sentence is about ordinary possibility. Instead, both focus on something that originally seemed unlikely but now appears as if it might actually have happened. Japanese dictionaries likewise explain 「まさか」 in negative and rhetorical contexts as referring to something considered highly unlikely or difficult to believe, which is close to the Korean meaning 「그럴 리는 없겠지만 혹시나」.
- Example: まさか約束を忘れたんじゃないでしょうね。
Kana: まさかやくそくをわすれたんじゃないでしょうね。
Translation: You didn’t forget our appointment, did you?
The speaker originally believed the other person would not forget, but after waiting for a while begins to feel that something is wrong. Here, 「まさか」 is very close to 「설마 약속을 잊은 건 아니겠지?」, with both carrying the suspicion “I hope that isn’t what happened.” - Example: まさか彼が来るとは思わなかった。
Kana: まさかかれがくるとはおもわなかった。
Translation: I never expected that he would actually come.
After an event has already happened, 「まさか」 can also be used retrospectively to express how unexpected it originally seemed. In this use, it does not necessarily correspond to “surely not”; “I never expected…” is more natural. Korean 「설마」 can likewise appear in sentences describing how something actually happened despite not being expected, and the National Institute of Korean Language also includes examples such as 「설마 그가 그렇게 금방 가 버릴 것이라고는 생각지 못했다」. - Example: A：来月、結婚するんだ。
Kana: らいげつ、けっこんするんだ。
Translation: I’m getting married next month.
B：まさか！本当に？
◆ Differences from 「설마」:
If we look only at the “surely not / no way” uses discussed in this article, Japanese 「まさか」 and Korean 「설마」 can be understood as fairly close, without forcing them into completely separate meanings. The main point to watch is what follows them grammatically. Korean often uses forms such as 「설마 -겠어?」「설마 아니겠지?」「설마 -는 건 아니겠지?」, while Japanese commonly uses forms such as 「まさか〜んじゃないでしょうね」「まさか〜とは思わなかった」「まさか〜はずがない」. In actual translation, the grammatical pattern from one language cannot simply be transferred directly into the other.
Japanese 「まさか」 also has uses such as 「まさかの時」, meaning “in case of an emergency” or “if something unexpected happens.” This is not the same as the use of Korean 「설마」 discussed in this article. In other words, the two expressions are very close when they mean “I originally did not believe it, but now I am starting to wonder,” but not every Japanese 「まさか」 can be directly replaced with Korean 「설마」.
There is no need to memorize 「설마」 as a long list of separate meanings. It is more useful to begin with the feeling “surely this isn’t really happening.” If a friend has not appeared, you might say 「설마 잊은 건 아니겠지?」. If you hear completely unexpected news, your first reaction may simply be 「설마?」. The difference lies in what follows and in what the speaker originally believed. If there was never any prior sense that “this probably wouldn’t happen,” and you simply want to ask whether something is possible, 「설마」 may not be appropriate. So when you encounter forms such as 「설마 아니겠지?」 or 「설마 그러겠어?」, there is no need to start by counting how many negatives appear. Instead, look at exactly what event the speaker is questioning—the thing they originally believed would not happen—and the meaning usually becomes much easier to understand.
FAQs
「설마」 is used when the speaker originally thought something was unlikely to happen but suddenly begins to suspect that it might actually be true. Depending on context, it can be translated as “surely not,” “no way,” “could it be,” or “how could that be?”
「혹시」 neutrally leaves open a possibility, while 「설마」 contains the assumption that the speaker originally believed the event would not happen. For example, 「혹시 잊었어요?」 simply asks whether someone forgot, while 「설마 잊었어요?」 carries the surprise of “You didn’t actually forget, did you?”
「겠」 can express inference or judgment, so together with 「설마」 it easily creates meanings such as “surely…wouldn’t” or “how could…?” Common forms include 「설마 그러겠어?」「설마 늦겠어?」「설마 아니겠지?」.
Yes. 「설마?」 and 「설마!」 can both function as complete reactions. Depending on intonation, they can correspond to expressions such as “No way?”, “Seriously?”, or “Impossible!” They are extremely common in both Korean dramas and everyday conversation.
No. The core meaning of 「설마」 is that something exceeds the speaker’s original expectations, not that the event itself is negative. It can also be used when someone unexpectedly wins something, receives good news, or succeeds beyond expectations.