The other day, I was talking to a Brazilian friend and he used an expression that I wanted to share, since it’s perfect for using in everyday conversation.

Por mais incrível que pareça / Pelo incrível que pareça

This expression roughly translates as, “As difficult as it is to believe,” or “As hard as it is to believe,” or “As unbelievable as it seems.” You would use this expression to preface something unexpected or contrary to what you would believe. Both of the phrases mean the same thing. Let’s look at some examples:

Por mais incrível que pareça, meu marido não gosta de futebol. It may be difficult to believe, but my husband doesn’t like soccer.

Pelo incrível que pareça, elas querem ficar em casa em vez de viajar. As hard as it is to believe, they want to stay home instead of going away.

Meu time vai ser campeão, por mais incrível que pareça. My team is going to win, as hard as it is to believe.

Pelo incrível que pareça, meus amigos destestam este tipo de música. As unbelievable as it may seem, my friends hate this kind of music.

Now you try it in a sentence! Leave your example in the comments or on Facebook.