As I was saying..

[1370] Believe it or not..

🎲 For the record..
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • Used to introduce a piece of information that the speaker anticipates might be surprising, shocking, or hard to accept.
  • It emphasizes the surprising nature of the statement that follows.

Origin

  • Popularized by Robert Ripley's Ripley's Believe It or Not! franchise (starting as a newspaper panel in 1918), which showcased bizarre and unusual facts.
  • The phrase itself invites skepticism but asserts the truth of the following statement.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Surprisingly enough...
  • Strange as it may seem...
  • You might find this hard to believe, but...
  • Funnily enough... (If the surprise is also amusing)
  • Believe you me... (Used for emphasis, not necessarily surprise)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Get this... (Introduces surprising/interesting info)
  • Check this out...
  • No cap... (Urban/Gen Z, meaning 'no lie' / 'seriously', asserts truthfulness of something potentially surprising)
  • Real talk... (Introduces a serious or surprising truth)

Vulgar/Emphatic:

  • No fucking way, but... (Expressing the speaker's own disbelief while stating the fact)
  • Believe it or fucking not... (Adds strong emphasis)

Milder/Standard:

  • Interestingly...
  • Remarkably...

Situational Appropriateness

  • Suitable for informal and semi-formal situations.
  • Might sound slightly too informal or cliché in very formal academic or business writing, but acceptable in presentations or speeches.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Generally well understood. The main point is the surprising information that follows.

Examples

  • Believe it or not, he actually won the lottery!
  • This antique vase, believe it or not, is over 500 years old.
  • Believe it or not, I've never seen Star Wars.

Dialogue

Person A: How was your trip to Antarctica?

Person B: It was amazing! And believe it or not, I actually went swimming in the Antarctic Ocean.

Person A: No way! Wasn't it freezing?

Person B: Absolutely, but it was part of a supervised polar plunge!

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Believe it or not, pineapple on pizza is actually delicious. Don't knock it till you try it! #FoodDebate #PineapplePizza
  • Instagram Caption: Believe it or not, this photo was taken with my phone! #TravelPhotography #NoFilter
  • Facebook Post: Just found out my quiet neighbour used to be a rock star, believe it or not! 🤯

Response Patterns

  • Listener typically shows surprise or curiosity.
  • Common responses: Really?, No way!, Are you serious?, Wow!
  • They might lean in or show heightened interest.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

  • After hearing the surprising fact, the listener usually asks for more details (How did that happen?, Where did you find it?, Why not?).
  • They might express disbelief or seek confirmation.

Conversation Starter

  • Yes. Can be a good way to start a story or share an interesting fact. Believe it or not, I saw a kangaroo in my backyard this morning!

Intonation

  • Often spoken with a slightly raised pitch and emphasis to highlight the surprise.
  • Stress usually falls on lieve and not. BeLIEVE it or NOT...
  • A short pause often follows the phrase.

Generation Differences

  • Widely recognized and used, partly due to the endurance of the Ripley's brand. Common across many age groups.

Regional Variations

  • Common in all major English-speaking regions.
As I was saying..
🎲 For the record..