I've heard the phrase "the real question is~" in various situations, but I do not fully understand why people say this. Does the expression have the same function as a punch line?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"The real question is" is used as a segue to move from one topic to another. It's used as a way to smoothly transition to a different topic while still on another topic. It does not usually have the same function as a punch line does. A: Do you see the shirt he's wearing? B: Yes, but the real question is how on earth does he fit into those pants! Ex: The real question is how do we get her to the party without her knowing.

How do native speakers use this expression?

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Popular Q&As

01/13

1
Isn't "caveat" a synonym for "warning?" Why would she say that?
Yes, that's right! Here it's she's kind of like she's "warning" the audience about a detail that needs to be considered when evaluating or doing something. It's an extra detail she and the viewers didn't consider fully before now. Ex: I'll leave you with this caveat: Never go ice skating on thin ice. Ex: She agreed to do the interview with the caveat of asking her own choice of questions.

2
I've heard "so like" and "you know" so many times when talking with natives speakers, but those don't really have any meaning. Is it like filler words?
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3
There is no be verb, but I don't know how it becomes future tense.
It should be "You are going to fit in here" but since this is a skit, they changed it to "you gon fit in just fine here." They did in fact skip "are" in this sentence. Even though this is grammatically incorrect, you do hear this type of slang used occasionally in spoken English.

4
Why use "get hurt"? Why not use "take hurt"?
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5
What's "breath mint"?
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