Example: Dat meen je niet, ik kan het niet geloven!
Definition
"Dat meen je niet" is a Dutch expression used to convey disbelief or surprise, similar to saying 'You can't be serious' or 'I can't believe it!' in English. It is commonly used in informal conversations to react to unexpected or shocking statements.
Translations
you must be kidding
no me digas
no m'ho puc creure
tu plaisantes
das meinst du nicht
non ci credi
não estás a brincar
Etymology
The phrase "dat meen je niet" literally translates to 'that means you not' in Dutch, combining 'dat' (that), 'meen' (mean), and 'je niet' (you not). It evolved as a common idiomatic expression to express incredulity, reflecting a direct way of questioning the sincerity or truth of a statement.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Dat meen je niet" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (A1) - set 1", containing 109 commonly used expressions.
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you must be kidding