"You could have fooled me" is a common phrase in English, used to express disbelief or surprise at a trick or deception. The word "could" is pronounced as /kʊd/ in the IPA phonetic transcription, with the "o" being pronounced as a short "u" sound. "Fooled" is pronounced as /fuːld/, with a long "oo" sound followed by the "l" sound. The pronunciation of "me" is /mi/, with a long "ee" sound. The spelling of this phrase follows traditional English spelling rules.
"You could have fooled me" is an idiomatic expression used to convey disbelief or skepticism towards a statement or claim. It is often employed humorously or sarcastically, implying that the speaker is not easily convinced or fooled by deceptive actions or words.
The phrase suggests that the person speaking is not easily fooled or easily convinced by misleading information or tricks. If someone claims to have a particular quality, skill, or intention, and the listener doubts its authenticity, they might respond with "You could have fooled me," implying that the person's claims are unconvincing or untrustworthy.
This phrase can also be used when someone expresses surprise or disbelief regarding a piece of information that contradicts their previous understanding or perception. In this context, it implies that the listener would have expected a different outcome or result based on their own previous experience or knowledge.
Overall, "you could have fooled me" essentially means that the speaker is expressing doubt, skepticism, or disbelief towards someone's claims, actions, or information. It indicates that the speaker is not easily misled or easily convinced by appearances, and they find the information or claims unconvincing based on their own assessment or understanding.