Isn’t that something?：sorette sugoku nai？Japanese Phrase #268

Yuka

Have you ever heard someone say それってすごくない？ and wondered exactly what they meant? Let’s break it down!

What Does それってすごくない？ Mean?

それってすごくない？ literally means “Isn’t that amazing?” It uses それ (that), the topic particle って, and the negative question form of すごい. Despite the negative structure, it functions as an enthusiastic rhetorical question — you’re not doubting; you’re marveling.

Rei

So it’s actually a positive expression even though it uses a negative form?

Yuka

Exactly! It’s like saying “Isn’t that incredible?” — you already know the answer is yes!

How すごくない Works

すごい is an i-adjective meaning “amazing” or “incredible.” To make a rhetorical question, drop the final い and add くない？:

• すごい → すごく + ない？ → すごくない？
• This form invites agreement: “…right?” / “…don’t you think?”

The って after それ is a casual topic marker, equivalent to は but more colloquial.

Example Sentences

A: 彼、3か国語話せるんだって。
He can speak three languages, apparently.

B: それってすごくない？
Isn’t that amazing?!

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A: 彼女、独学で日本語を覚えたらしいよ。
She apparently learned Japanese on her own.

B: えー、それってすごくない？
Wow, isn’t that incredible?!

Variations and Related Expressions

Rei

やばい is another word that can mean amazing or terrible depending on context, right?

Yuka

Yes! やばくない？ works similarly — context tells you if it’s good or bad.

Quick Quiz

Fill in the blank: “He ran a marathon at age 70 — ___すごくない？”

Answer: それってすごくない？

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