JLPT N3 · Noun / adverb

まさか (masaka)

まさか is a Japanese noun / adverb meaning “by no means; never!”. It is usually written in kana. It appears in JLPT N3 vocabulary lists and is marked as a common word in JMdict.

Reading: まさか
Romaji: masaka
Word class: Noun / adverb
Level: JLPT N3 (unofficial)

Meaning

by no means; never!; well, I never!; you don't say!; no way! · interjection · usually written in kana
certainly (not); surely (not); hardly (expected) · adverb · usually written in kana · with neg. verb
something unexpected; emergency · noun, noun taking の · usually written in kana
indeed; really; truly; unexpectedly · adverb, noun taking の · usually written in kana
(the) present; (the) here and now; situation at hand · noun · usually written in kana, archaic

Example sentences

まさかもう彼が来たのではないでしょうね。

He hasn't come already, has he?

Tatoeba #195666

Sentences from the Tatoeba project, linked to this word in JMdict.

Source: JMdict entry 1363540 (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0). Level: unofficial JLPT list – how levels are assigned.