Quotation & Expression

Introduction

Advanced quotation patterns go beyond reporting speech to express surprise at outcomes, hypothetical warnings, and rhetorical flourishes. They add dramatic and persuasive power to your expression.

These patterns are favourites of writers, speakers, and anyone who wants their Japanese to be compelling.

Themes

All Japanese Grammar Advanced in This Chapter (13)

1. と言うか というか A phrase used to restate or correct what was just said in order to express the idea more accurately or appropriately. It functions as 'or...
2. と言って といって A conjunctive phrase meaning 'however' or 'having said that,' used at the beginning of or within a sentence to introduce a statement that...
3. との との A compound particle that presents the content of the noun that follows it, functioning like 'that' in English noun phrases such as 'the r...
4. とは とは A compound particle that marks an event, action, or state that the speaker finds unexpected, surprising, or noteworthy. It expresses reac...
5. とばかりに とばかりに A phrase indicating that someone does something as if to convey a particular message or attitude without actually saying it. It describes...
6. とでも言うべき とでもいうべき A phrase used to introduce a noun or noun phrase that serves as a characterisation or label for something. It translates as 'what one mig...
7. といった といった A compound particle used to introduce examples from a broader category, functioning like 'such as' or 'like' in English. It presents repr...
8. といったところだ といったところだ A phrase used when the speaker explains something in a brief, rough, or approximate manner. It translates as 'roughly speaking,' 'somethi...
9. 言うまでもない いうまでもない A phrase meaning 'it goes without saying' or 'needless to say,' used to indicate that something is so obvious or well-known that it does ...
10. 言ってみれば いってみれば A phrase meaning 'so to speak,' 'in a manner of speaking,' or 'if I were to put it one way,' used to signal that the speaker is about to ...
11. 言わば いわば An adverb meaning 'so to speak,' 'as it were,' or 'if I were to say it some way.' It introduces a metaphorical, figurative, or alternativ...
12. なんて (colloquial なんと) なんて A colloquial version of なんと, used as an exclamatory adverb meaning 'how...!' or 'what a...!' It expresses strong emotion — surprise, admi...
13. なんて (belittlement) なんて A colloquial particle used to express a strong feeling such as astonishment, incredulity, contempt, or dismissal toward the preceding nou...