～って (quote)
Casual way to quote what someone said
You’ll be able to quote what people said casually the way friends do in conversation.
蓮は「新しい自転車を買った」って言った。
ren wa "atarashii jitensha o katta" tte itta.
What do you think this sentence means?
Ren said, "I bought a new bicycle."
Quote casually in conversation
って can replace quotation particle と in casual speech. It is common when reporting what someone said, and 言う is often omitted when the context is clear.
田中さん、明日来るって。
tanaka-san, ashita kuru tte.
Tanaka says he’s coming tomorrow.
Use って instead of と
Put って after a direct quote or plain quoted content in casual conversation.
「またね」って言った。
"mata ne" tte itta.
He/She said, “See you.”
明日は休むって言った。
ashita wa yasumu tte itta.
He/She said they would take tomorrow off.
この店、おいしいって。
kono mise, oishii tte.
They say this restaurant is good.
Nouns and な-adjectives can include だ
When the quoted plain statement would contain だ, it can appear before って. In casual speech, quotation patterns can be shortened heavily.
田中さんは先生だって。
tanaka-san wa sensei da tte.
They say Tanaka is a teacher.
この町は静かだって。
kono machi wa shizuka da tte.
They say this town is quiet.
明日は休みだって。
ashita wa yasumi da tte.
They say tomorrow is a day off.
言う is often omitted
If it is obvious that you are reporting information, the sentence may end in って.
ミアは来ないって。
mia wa konai tte.
Mia says she is not coming.
午後から雨だって。
gogo kara ame da tte.
They say it will rain from the afternoon.
この電車は新宿に行かないって。
kono densha wa shinjuku ni ikanai tte.
They say this train does not go to Shinjuku.
と vs って for a quote
って is the conversational と. It is also happy to end the sentence on its own, with 言う left off entirely.
って, casual
田中さん、明日来るって。
tanaka-san, ashita kuru tte.
Tanaka says he’s coming tomorrow.
言う is dropped, and って carries the report.
と, neutral
田中さんは明日来ると言いました。
tanaka-san wa ashita kuru to iimashita.
Tanaka said that he will come tomorrow.
と needs 言いました to complete it.
兄は明日早く出るって。
ani wa ashita hayaku deru tte.
My older brother says he's leaving early tomorrow.
ミカは今日は来ないって。
mika wa kyou wa konai tte.
Mika says she isn't coming today.
新しい店は安いって。
atarashii mise wa yasui tte.
They say the new shop is cheap.
8 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.