第277課: The Particles って, たって, & だって
In this lesson we will learn about the particles って, たって, and だって which are necessary in improving your colloquial Japanese skills.
The Particle って
The Case Particle って: Colloquial Citation
This is a very important feature of casual Japanese. The particle と is very frequently seen as って in spoken Japanese. Although it originally came from the contraction of という, it has since taken on と’s function as a citation particle.
1. 難しいって思った。
I thought it was difficult.
2. 負けたよって言われてもなあ。
Even if you would have said you lost.
3. お母さんにどうぞよろしくって伝えてくださいね。
Please say nice to meet you to her mother.
4. 田中さんって知ってる？
Do you know Mr. Tanaka?
気にしなくてもいいってことだ。
It’s nothing you may need to be worried about.
“…の…の（と）” is used to list things in contrast or emphatically and “…の…ないの（って）” shows excess. As is noted, sometimes using it may be uncommon or even old-fashioned.
5. 何のかんのと文句をつける。
To complain of what and that.
6. 死ぬの生きるのと大騒ぎだ。
Dying and living is all turmoil.
7. うるさいのなんのって、耳が聞こえなくなったほどだ。
It’s so loud to the point I’ve lost my hearing.
8. 無職になるの、離婚するの、散々な目にあったな。（Not so common)
Becoming unemployed and divorced, I’ve met a lot of terrible things hasn’t it!
9. 寒いの暑いのと言っていないで、ジョギングは毎朝しなさい。
Don’t complain about it being hot or cold, you must go jogging every day.
10. 痛いの痛くないのと、飛び上がってしまったよ。（古い言い方）
It hurt so bad I accidentally jumped up.
The Adverbial Particle って: Emphatic
It takes up the subject with slight exclamation and is equivalent to というのは. It’s also used in repeating what someone said.
11. オレって、なんてバカなんだ。
I’m such an idiot.
12. 誰かに出会える時っていつもこうだ。
Meeting someone is always the same way.
13. したくないって、どういう意味だ。
You don’t want to do it, what do you mean?
14. 誰が｛殺人・殺人者・人殺し・犯人｝かって、あいつに決まってるよ。
It’s settled that who the, um, murderer is that guy over there.
Word Note: 殺人者 is a rather formal word and not used much in actual conversation, although it is common in books. 人殺し is a graphic word that bring images of the bloody crime scene. So, it is considered a sensitive word and often avoided. 犯人, although it only means “criminal”, it is the most likely word to use in this situation, and most people would realize automatically that the sentence is about murder anyways.
The Final Particle って: All of the Above
15. すぐ帰れってさ。
He said like to hurry home.
16. 間に合うだろうって。
They said they would probably make it on time.
With a high intonation, it shows confirmation.
17. 離婚するんですって。
You’re getting divorced?
18. 病気だったんですってねー。
It was sickness, right?
In a downward intonation, it passes down an assertion strongly. It is often used to (re)assure someone like in Ex. 19.
19. 大丈夫だって。
It’s OK.
20. きっと合格するって。
I’ll surely pass.
The Conjunctive Particle って
1. When used with ～た.
- Even if you; no matter how.
- っていい, ってかまわない, and って差し支えない to show permission.
21a. どう叫んだって、聞こえない。(Less common)
21b. どれほど叫んだって聞こえない。
Even if you somehow shout, he can’t hear.
22. どう見えたって、校長は校長だ。
No matter how you look at it, the principal is the principal.
23. やったっていいじゃん。
Isn’t it OK to do it?
Grammar Note: When used with ん, って is often changed to て. It’s also common as ってー.
The Particle たって
For the most part, たって is ～た + って. However, there is one usage of たって that makes it unique.
The Conjunctive Particle たって
Often with a 促音, it is used as a colloquial variant of the phrase といっても meaning “even if you say that”. There are several set expressions that accompany this.
| Tense | Meaning |
| Non-past | Even though (pronoun)… |
| Past | Even if you (past tense verb)… |
| Volitional | Even if (pronoun) going to… |
| Adjectives | Even if you… |
24. ハワイに行こうったって、どこも満員だよ。
Even if we’re going to Hawaii, everywhere is full.
25. 無くったって、生きてはゆけるだろう？
Even if you don’t have it, wouldn’t you still go on living?
26. そうだと思ったとしても、そうと決まったわけじゃないだろ。
Even if you thought that, that doesn’t mean that it’s supposed to still occur that way you know.
Grammar Note: Of course, there are some situations in which たって would be unnatural.
The Particle だって
At times だって is merely a combination of だ and って or the voiced version of the particle だって. However, だって is also seen in unique situations.
The Adverbial Particle だって
1. It presents something with an added feeling of rebuttal in response to an assumption and is equivalent to もまた–“even (does)”.
27. 犬だってそれくらい分かるだろう！？
Even a dog should understand that!?
28. 僕だって辛いのだ。
Even I’m bitter (about it).
29. 乞食にだって言い分はある。
Even a beggar has one’s say.
2. “AだってBだって” arranges like things with the hint that other things are applicable as well.
30. 学校だって、大学だって、同じところじゃないか。
Isn’t it the same place, whether it’s school or college?
31. ペットを飼うなら犬だって猫だって同じようなもんじゃないか。
If you’re going to raise a pet, isn’t a dog or cat the same?
32. イルカだってクジラだって哺乳類なんだよ。
Whether a dolphin or a whale, it’s still a mammal.
33. 子どもだって大人だって遊びたいときは思いっきり遊ぶんだよ。
Whether a kid or an adult, when people want to play, they play with all their heart.
34. 宝石だって着物だって買う。
To buy things whether it is jewelry or clothing.
3. With a feeling of rebuttal and attached to a phrase showing high value, it strengthens the meaning of a sentence and is equivalent to さえも meaning “even also”.
35. うそ（だ）、決定的な証拠だってあるぞ。
Lie, there’s even definitive evidence.
36. クラスにはピアニストだっているよ。
There’s even a pianist in the classroom.
4. Attached to a phrase showing the “smallest” of something and followed by a negative expression, it is used to show complete negation.
37. いとこにとってはこんな大学は一日だって我慢できないだろう。
My cousin wouldn’t last in this kind of a college for even a day.
38. 僅かだって許されない。
Not even a little bit will be forgiven.
5. Attached to an interrogative, it is used to mean “all without exception”, and is equivalent to “interrogative + でも”.
39. いつだっていいさ。
Anytime is good.
40. 誰だってそんなこと｛は・を｝したく（は）ないね。
Nobody wants to do a thing like that.
6. 何だって asks for a reason with a feeling of criticism–why”.
41. 何だってそんなことをしたんだ。
Why did you do even such a thing as that?
The Final Particle だって
1. Directly quotes the words of someone of which one thought to be unsuitable and is equivalent to だと.
42. 彼は、金を貸さなかったんだって。
He said, I didn’t lend any money.
43. 知らなかったんだって。
You didn’t know?
44. 遊びたくないだって？
You don’t want to play?
Phrase Note: This usage is a contraction of だとて.
2. のだって quotes what someone said.
45. あの田中さん、行きたくないんだって。
Mr. Tanaka says he don’t want to go.
46. あいつは来るんだって。
He’s coming?
3. Asks about the information of something passed down when attached to a phrase of question or doubt.
47. 何だって？
What was it?
48. 食費はいくらって？
How much was the food expenses?
Variant Note: だって may be changed to ですって in polite context.