N3 Grammar: The Difference Between っけ and って

26/01/20251 min read

Translated from the Vietnamese original. View the original.

N3 grammar: the difference between っけ and って

1. The grammar っけ

Meaning: I think…; was it…?; is it…?

– Usually used to confirm something the speaker does not remember clearly and wants to ask about again. Common in spoken language.

– When N/V/A in the past tense precedes っけ, it emphasises that the speaker previously knew, heard or did something but does not remember it clearly.

Grammar structure
N / na-adjective だ・だった + っけ
i-adjective かった
Verb た
でした
ました

Examples:
明日のテストは何時からだっけ？
What time was tomorrow's test again?

あの人の名前はなんでしたっけ？
What was that person's name again?

2. The grammar って

Grammar structure
Plain form + って
Plain form + って Noun

Meaning 1:
– Used to repeat (emphasise) something mentioned earlier.
– A less formal way of saying という・というのは・というと

Examples:
山田さんの妹の名前って？全然覚えられない。
What was Yamada's younger sister called again? I can't remember at all.

桜さんってどんな人ですか？
What kind of person is Sakura?

Grammar structure
Plain form + って

Meaning 2:
– Used to quote what someone else said.
– A less formal version of と言いました・と聞きました・そうです, commonly used in everyday conversation.

んだって・んですって are often used in everyday conversation
んですって is more polite and often used by women

Examples:
来週は雨だって。
I hear it will rain next week.

山田さんは参加しないって。
I hear Yamada isn't taking part.

Related posts