Jason: Hey look! That old man is so good at push-ups. I think he’s doing more than fifty already!
Jen: Oh, you mean that elderly man over there? Everyone knows about him. He’s here at the gym working out everyday. Plus he’s over seventy years old.
Jason: What? He’s over seventy years old? That’s unbelievable!
Jen: Believe it or not, he is.

본문에서 Jason이 제게 “Hey look! That old man is so good at push-ups. I think he’s doing more than fifty already! 야, 저기 나이 드신 분 좀 봐. 팔굽혀펴기를 정말 잘하셔! 벌써 50번 넘게 하신 것 같아.”라고 놀라자,

제가 “Oh, you mean that elderly man over there? Everyone knows about him. He’s here at the gym working out everyday. Plus he’s over seventy years old. 아, 저 분 말하는 거니? 여기선 다 아는 분이야. 체육관에 매일 운동하러 오시는데, 일흔 살도 넘으셨대.”라고 합니다.

Jason은 믿기 어려운 모양입니다. “What? He’s over seventy years old? That’s unbelievable! 정말? 일흔 살도 넘으셨다고? 믿을 수 없어!”라고 하는데요. 저는 “Believe it or not, he is. 네가 안 믿을지 모르겠지만 사실이야.”라고 답합니다. Now keep today’s expression, ‘believe it or not’ in mind and let’s hear the conversation again. 그럼 다시 한 번 대화를 들어볼까요?

Jason: Hey look! That old man is so good at push-ups. I think he’s doing more than fifty already!
Jen: Oh, you mean that elderly man over there? Everyone knows about him. He’s here at the gym working out everyday. Plus he’s over seventy years old.
Jason: What? He’s over seventy years old? That’s unbelievable!
Jen: Believe it or not, he is.

Today’s expression is believe it or not. Believe it or not means you can choose to accept or believe something as true or not. Believe it or not는 ‘믿거나 말거나’라는 뜻입니다.

오늘 본문에서 Jason은 연세가 많아 보이는 분이 50번 넘게 팔굽혀펴기를 하는 모습을 보고 놀란 모양입니다. 특히 제가 일흔 살도 넘은 분이라고 밝히자 못 믿을 정도라고 하는데요. 그러자 저는 믿거나 말거나 그건 사실이라고 합니다. “Believe it or not, he is.” 라고요. 이렇게 상대방이 믿기 힘들겠지만 사실이라고 말할 때 쓸 수 있는 표현이 바로 believe it or not입니다.

Now let me give you an example sentence. “Believe it or not, Joseph asked me to be his girlfriend.”, 이 문장에도 오늘 배운 표현이 들어있는데요. “안 믿을지 모르겠지만, 조셉이 나에게 사귀자고 했다니까!"로 해석할 수 있습니다. Now let’s listen to the conversation for the last time.

Jason: Hey look! That old man is so good at push-ups. I think he’s doing more than fifty already!
Jen: Oh, you mean that elderly man over there? Everyone knows about him. He’s here at the gym working out everyday. Plus he’s over seventy years old.
Jason: What? He’s over seventy years old? That’s unbelievable!
Jen: Believe it or not, he is.

Let’s review. Believe it or not means you can choose to accept or believe something as true or not. BELIEVE IT OR NOT.