JapanLingo

意外いがい

igai

unexpected

N3

How to remember this word

Picture the last situation where you needed the idea of “unexpected” — at work, at the station, online — and attach 意外 to that exact scene.

Example sentences

Example 1

shiken no kekka wa igai deshita.

The exam result was unexpected.

Example 2

kare ga nihongo o hanaseru to wa igai deshita.

I was surprised that he could speak Japanese.