〜っけ
kke
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Meaning
"was it ~?", "what was ~ again?" — checking a hazy memory.
Normally attaches to a past plain form even when you are asking about the present. It is casual, though 〜でしたっけ / 〜ましたっけ can be used politely.
Casual conversation when you half-remember something and want confirmation.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
Plain past + っけ (V-た / い-adj-かった / N・な-adj + だった + っけ)Polite: 〜ましたっけ / 〜でしたっけ
Visual diagram
っけ
recall check (casual)
- + N + だっけ何時からだっけwhat time was it again?
- + N + だったっけ名前、何だったっけwhat was the name again?
- + V-た + っけもう食べたっけdid I already eat?
- + い-adj + かったっけそんなに高かったっけwas it that expensive?
Natural examples
明日の会議は何時からだっけ。
あしたのかいぎはなんじからだっけ。
What time was tomorrow's meeting again?
あの人の名前、何だったっけ。
あのひとのなまえ、なんだったっけ。
What was that person's name again?
君も同じクラスだったっけ？
きみもおなじクラスだったっけ？
Were you in the same class too?
あの人、誰でしたっけ。
あのひと、だれでしたっけ。
Who was that person again?
Similar grammar and the difference
〜よね
Confirmation of something you are fairly sure about. っけ signals you've forgotten.
Casual quotation; different function. Compare side by side
〜んだっけ
Adds the explanatory ん: 何時に来るんだっけ.
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 会議は何時からっけ？
- ✓
- 会議は何時からだっけ？
- Why
- Nouns need だ (or だった) before っけ.
- ✗
- 会議は何時からでしたっけ？(to a close friend, casual context)
- ✓
- 何時からだっけ？
- Why
- Not wrong, but でしたっけ is polite; match the register of the conversation.
- ✗
- 彼は来るっけ？
- ✓
- 彼は来るんだっけ？/ 来るんでしたっけ？
- Why
- Plain non-past verbs do not take っけ directly; add んだ.
Casual; uses past-tense forms even for present facts. Can be self-directed (talking to oneself). Not used with plain non-past + っけ except だっけ. っけ often follows あれ / えっと, showing the speaker is searching memory.
JLPT N3 tips
On the exam
- A casual question with 何 / いつ / どこ and a blank at the end where the speaker seems to have forgotten = っけ.
- Check the form: だっけ / だったっけ / たっけ. A plain dictionary verb + っけ is a wrong option.
- In listening, っけ marks a speaker confirming a detail; the answer usually comes in the next line.
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜っけ mean?
"was it ~?", "what was ~ again?" — checking a hazy memory. Normally attaches to a past plain form even when you are asking about the present. It is casual, though 〜でしたっけ / 〜ましたっけ can be used politely.
How do you form 〜っけ?
Plain past + っけ (V-た / い-adj-かった / N・な-adj + だった + っけ) / Polite: 〜ましたっけ / 〜でしたっけ. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is 〜っけ used?
Casual conversation when you half-remember something and want confirmation.
What is the difference between 〜っけ and 〜よね?
Confirmation of something you are fairly sure about. っけ signals you've forgotten.
What is the difference between 〜っけ and 〜って?
Casual quotation; different function.
What is a common mistake with 〜っけ?
Wrong: 会議は何時からっけ？ Right: 会議は何時からだっけ？ Nouns need だ (or だった) before っけ.
Quick check
あれ、駅までのバスは何番（ ）。