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N1

とは

That..., (Surprised) that..., (Never expected) that..., (Shocked) that...

こんな安やすく家いえが買かえるとは思おもわなかったよ。

I did not think that I would have been able to buy a house this cheap.

Explanation

「とは」 has 2 uses

1I can't believe ...

At the end of a sentence: what you saw or heard is beyond what you expected, and you are shocked, moved or angry. The 驚いた or 信じられない after it is often left out.

こんなところでキアヌ・リーブスに出会であったとはねぇ！

I (never expected) that I would come across Keanu Reeves in a place like this!

こんな簡単かんたんなことで失敗しっぱいするなどとは思おもっていなかったが、あいつに任まかせた俺おれが悪わるい。

I was not expecting him to fail at something so simple, but it was my fault for leaving it to him.

2What X means

Nとは at the start names a word, and the rest explains what it means, like というのは. The sentence often ends in ～ことだ or ～のことだ.

「積読つんどく」とは、買かった本ほんを読よまずに積つんでおくことだ。

Tsundoku means buying books and leaving them piled up unread.

友達ともだちとは、困こまったときに助たすけてくれる人ひとのことだ。

A friend is someone who helps you when you are in trouble.

Mixed up with

「なんて」 is the casual 'to think that...'.

「とは」 is more refined and deeper in feeling, fine in writing and in exclamations.

「というのは」 is for calmly explaining a reason or background or giving a definition. It is not used at the end of a sentence for a burst of emotion.

Examples

1I can't believe ...

まさかこんな場所ばしょでなつみちゃんに会あうとは！元気げんきにしてた？
I would have never expected to see you at a place like this! How have you been?
高橋たかはしさんがもう結婚けっこんしていたとは驚おどろいた。
I was surprised to hear that Mr. Takahashi was already married.
こんなところでキアヌ・リーブスに出会であったとはねぇ！
I (never expected) that I would come across Keanu Reeves in a place like this!
こんな簡単かんたんなことで失敗しっぱいするなどとは思おもっていなかったが、あいつに任まかせた俺おれが悪わるい。
I was not expecting him to fail at something so simple, but it was my fault for leaving it to him.
まさか彼かれが私わたしの知しらないところでそんなひどいことを言いっていたなどとは...
I had no idea that he was saying such horrible things behind my back…
君きみがあんなに速はやく走はしれるとは...なんで今いままで黙だまっていたんだい？
I had no idea that you could run that fast… Why did you keep this from us?
「一戸建いっこだてに住すむってこれほどまでに大変たいへんだったとは驚おどろきだよ。」
'I'm shocked that living in a single family home would be this hard!'
まさか二にヶ月かげつで１０キロも痩やせるとは！このダイエットは効果こうか的てきだ！
I (never expected) that I would lose 10kg in two months! This diet is super effective!
メアリーさんとたけしさんが去年きょねんもう一度いちど新婚旅行しんこんりょこうに行いったとは驚おどろいた。
I was surprised that Mary-san and Takeshi-san went on another honeymoon last year.
病弱びょうじゃくで内気うちきだった田中たなかさんがボクシングチャンピオンになるとは夢ゆめにも思おもわなかったよ！
I never dreamed that sickly, shy Tanaka-san would become a boxing champion.
「ついこの間あいだ彼かれと話はなしたばかりなのに、今日きょうが彼かれの葬式そうしきだとは信しんじられないよ。」
'I can't believe I was talking with him just the other day, and today is his funeral.'
「中古ちゅうこのいいパソコンが安やすく買かえると知しっていたけどこんなに安やすいとは思おもってもみなかった。」
'I knew that you could buy a good, second hand computer cheaply, but I never expected that it would be this cheap!'
少すこし前まえまでヨチヨチ歩あるきをしていた甥おいっ子こが今年ことしの四月しがつから小学校しょうがっこうに入学にゅうがくするとは…！
My nephew was toddling around only a little while ago, and now he's starting primary school this April!
優勝ゆうしょう間違まちがいなしと世間せけんで言いわれていた体操たいそう選手せんしゅが演技えんぎの序盤じょばんで基本きほん的てきなミスをするとは…。
That such a world renowned, undeniably excellent gymnastics competitor would make such a basic mistake from the outset of their performance, I am shocked.
地球ちきゅう温暖おんだん化かによる気候きこう変動へんどうが問題もんだいになっている事ことは知しっていましたが、桜さくらが咲さいた後あとに雪ゆきが降ふるとは…！
I knew that climate change was becoming a problem due to global warming, but I never expected that snow would fall after the cherry blossoms bloomed!
あの真面目まじめな生徒せいとが実じつは芸能げいのう活動かつどうをしていたとは、担任たんにんの先生せんせいを務つとめる僕ぼくにとって意外いがいでした。
I'm shocked that that serious student was actually doing performing arts, as their homeroom teacher, it was unexpected.
まさかあんなに勉強べんきょうをサボっていた涼太りょうたが先日せんじつ受うけた日本にほん語ご能力のうりょく試験しけんに満点まんてんで合格ごうかくするとは驚おどろいたよ！
Unbelievable, I am shocked that Ryota, who neglects studying so much, would pass the JLPT with a perfect score yesterday.

2What X means

「積読つんどく」とは、買かった本ほんを読よまずに積つんでおくことだ。
Tsundoku means buying books and leaving them piled up unread.
友達ともだちとは、困こまったときに助たすけてくれる人ひとのことだ。
A friend is someone who helps you when you are in trouble.
「リモートワーク」とは、会社かいしゃに行いかずに家いえなどで働はたらくことです。
Remote work means working from home or elsewhere instead of going to the office.

Tested 4 times in past papers

N2 · Jul 2026, Q31 N1 · Jul 2023, Q44 N2 · Jul 2021, Q44 N1 · Jul 2014, Q37