How can that be vs How could that be

Both "how can that be" and "how could that be" are correct and commonly used in English. They are interchangeable and can be used to express surprise or disbelief about a situation. The choice between "can" and "could" depends on personal preference or the context in which the phrase is used.

Last updated: April 14, 2024 • 309 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express surprise or disbelief about a situation.

"How can that be"

This phrase is used to question the possibility or reality of a situation. It is often used in informal conversations.

Examples:

How can that be true?
How can that be happening?
How can that be the case?
How can that be so?
How can that be happening right now?

Show examples from the web [+]

Jul 8, 2017 ... What does How can that be? mean? See a translation · how is that possible? · It can be an exclamation of disbelief. Ex: "How can that be!?" Or it ...
College in Sweden is free but students still have a ton of debt. How can that be? Stockholm is pretty, but pricey: On the Skeppsholmen Bridge.
Aug 3, 2016 ... How can that be? If you've been carrying a balance, most card issuers will charge you interest from the time your bill was sent to you ...
Definition: How can that be - with Gymglish, online personalized daily English lessons for all levels. Free test.
May 4, 2023 ... How can that be? A woman in dark sunglasses and a blue jacket. E. Jean Carroll arrives this week at ...
This answer is wrong, I was told. Instead, I was advised to use words like "How can that be?" I have no idea what is wrong with "How come it's ...
How can that be a good thing? By Ryan Calo. What is ...
Nov 1, 2012 ... ... Kael was ridiculed for reportedly having said, after Richard Nixon's 49-state win over George McGovern in 1972, "How can that be?

Alternatives:

how could that be
how is that possible
how is that happening
how is that the case
how is that so

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express surprise or disbelief about a situation.

"How could that be"

This phrase is used to question the possibility or reality of a situation. It is often used in informal conversations.

Examples:

How could that be true?
How could that be happening?
How could that be the case?
How could that be so?
How could that be happening right now?

Show examples from the web [+]

How could that be?/Why might that be? (I am aware these are not identical in meaning, but that all communicate the "gist" of what I want to ...
Apr 30, 2023 ... How could that be? It's easier than you think. The GOP is afraid to dump Trump. And Biden is the certified Trump slayer who was bound to run if ...
Can django's auth_user.username be varchar(75)? How could that be done? Ask Question. Asked 13 years, 1 month ago. Modified 4 years, 10 months ago.

Alternatives:

how can that be
how is that possible
how is that happening
how is that the case
how is that so

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How can that be vs How could that be

"How can that be"

"How could that be"

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