What you're kidding

Challenges something odd or cheeky someone just said.

Mix-ups nani sore can sound scornful; uso tsuke is playful only with close friends.

nani sore

polite sore, nan desu ka

what's that?!; what's that supposed to mean

Reacts to something surprising the other person shows or says; your tone shows if you're curious or annoyed.

Said flatly, it means 'that's ridiculous'.

casual

nani sore, kawaii! doko de katta no?

What's that? So cute! Where'd you buy it?

何それ、かわいい！どこで買ったの？

polite

sore, nan desu ka? kawaii desu ne.

What's that? It's cute.

それ、何ですか？かわいいですね。

Written 何それ · なにそれ · それ、何ですかWho you say it and hear itHeard 202× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles

slangcasual only

are you serious?; you're not joking?

Reacting to news so surprising you suspect a joke; among friends only.

Shorter: maji de? or just maji? Politely, say hontou desu ka?

casual

kaisha yameru no? maji de itteru?

You're quitting your job? Are you serious?

会社辞めるの？マジで言ってる？

Written マジで言ってる？ · まじでいってる？Who you say it and hear itHeard 72× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles

roughcasual only

yeah, right; liar!

Playfully calling out an obvious fib or brag among close friends.

It's a command form, so it can sound harsh to people you don't know well. Uso tsuki is the noun 'liar'.

casual

kyou wa nomanai? uso tsuke.

You're not drinking today? Yeah, right.

今日は飲まない？嘘つけ。

Written 嘘つけ · うそつけWho you say it and hear itHeard 45× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles

casual only

what?!; what did you say?

Shocked reaction to news; with a sharp tone it challenges what someone just said.

Asked calmly, it asks what someone else said: sensei, nan datte? (what did the teacher say?)

casual

nan datte? kekkon suru no?

What?! You're getting married?

なんだって？結婚するの？

Written なんだってWho you say it and hear itHeard 677× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles