って

See also: つて

Japanese

Etymology

Contracted from とて (tote), itself a compound of quotative particle と (to) and conjunctive particle て (te).

Another etymology lists って as a shift from てふ (tefu), a contraction of と言う (to iu, “said that...”) in its Classical Japanese form.

• /to ifu/ → /toifu/ → /tefu/ → /tte/

When following a word ending in ん (n), manifests without gemination as just て (te).

First cited to the late 1800s.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t̚te̞]

• Can be used with a rising intonation to indicate a question.

Particle

って • (tte) 

1. [from late 1800s] he/she/I/they/we said: a type of verbal quotation mark used for direct and indirect quotes, also similar to that when used as a coordinating conjunction

   すぐ来(き)ますって。

   Sugu kimasu tte.

   He said (that) he'd come soon.

   お母(かあ)さんに聞(き)いたら、だめだって。

   Okāsan ni kiitara, dame da tte.

   When I asked my mom, she said no.

   あいつ病気(びょうき)なんだって。

   Aitsu byōki nanda tte.

   They say they're sick.

2. [from early 1900s] used to emphasize a word

   アラビア語(ご)って、難(むずか)しくない？

   Arabia-go tte, muzukashikunai?

   Arabic, you say? Isn't that difficult?

   これって何(なん)て名(な)前(まえ)？

   Kore tte nante namae?

   What is this called?

Usage notes

The particle often appears as て (te) when following a word ending in ん (n).

彼(かれ)が行(い)かんて言(い)うんだよ。

Kare ga ikan te iu n da yo.

She says (that) he's not coming!

See also

• ってば (tteba)

Interjection

って • (tte) 

1. Used to draw attention to something objectionable in a discussion.

   黙(だま)れ。ってなんでお前(まえ)がここに！

   Damare.Tte nande omae ga koko ni!

   Shut up. And why are you even here!