N3130/219

ことか

Verb (dictionary form) + ことかAdjective (plain form) + ことか〜とは + ことか

Meanings

  • How…
  • What…
  • God knows...
  • I wonder... with emotion
  • I never expected... with strong feeling

About this pattern

Explanation

ことか is used to express strong emotion or astonishment about something, often with a sense of “how … it is” or “I wonder … how could it be.” It can convey admiration, surprise, regret, or a sense of being overwhelmed. It frequently appears in exclamatory contexts and can be used after verbs or adjectives to highlight the speaker’s emotional reaction. In some cases you’ll see phrases like なんと〜ことか, 信じられないことか to intensify the feeling. It is more literary or emphatic than everyday speech, and is common in writing, storytelling, or formal spoken style.

Learn in context

Example sentences

こんなに美しい景色を見られるとは、なんと素晴らしいことか。

To be able to see such a beautiful scenery, how wonderful it is!

彼がそのニュースを信じられるとは、驚くことか。

I’m astonished that he can believe that news.

明日までに終わるとは、信じがたいことか。

It's hard to believe that it will be finished by tomorrow.

彼女が私を本当に許してくれるとは、ありがたいことか。

How grateful I am that she truly forgives me.