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〜ことに

to (my) surprise, (unfortunately, strangely)

Emotion adjective / Verb た-form + ことに

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ことに at the start of a sentence gives the speaker's feeling about what follows: 驚いたことに、彼は一人で全部やった, "to my surprise, he did it all himself".

It follows words of emotion: 驚いた, 残念な, うれしい, 不思議な, ありがたい, 困った. Together they work like English adverbs: "surprisingly", "unfortunately", "to my delight", "strangely", "thankfully".

It's written and slightly formal, common in essays, speeches and narration. In conversation, people often just say 残念だけど or びっくりしたけど.

Don't confuse it with ことから ("from the fact that") or ことで ("by doing").

Examples

  • 驚おどろいたことに、彼かれは一人ひとりで全部ぜんぶやった。

    To my surprise, he did it all by himself.

  • 残念ざんねんなことに、試合しあいは中止ちゅうしになった。

    Unfortunately, the match was called off.

  • うれしいことに、友達ともだちが会あいに来きてくれた。

    To my delight, a friend came to see me.

  • 不思議ふしぎなことに、誰だれもその音おとを聞きいていなかった。

    Strangely, nobody had heard the sound.

  • ありがたいことに、みんなが手伝てつだってくれた。

    Thankfully, everyone helped me.

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