Casual suffix : 〜っけ ( = kke) 　

Hi everyone!

Today I will teach you a very common casual suffix,  っけ ( = kke)

っけ (=kke) is a suffix that you use when you are trying to remember something and make sure what it is/was.

You say that when you are talking to yourself as well like me in the picture.

「あれ？何を作るんだっけ？」

= Are? Nani wo tsukurun dakke?

= Umm? What was I going to cook now? (I don’t remember.)

See the difference below?

:u:
When you ask someone where they live for the first time.

Ex. どこに住んでいるの？(casual)

= Doko ni sunde iru no?

= Where do you live (now)?

But if you already asked the same question in past and you can’t remember where they live, you say

Ex. どこに住んでいるんだっけ？

= Doko ni sunde irundakke?

=  (I asked you before but I don’t remember.) Where do you live now again?

If you simply want to ask someone how much something cost,

Ex. これ(は*)いくらだった？

= Kore (wa) ikura datta?

= How much did it cost ? (A simple question.)

But if you already asked someone how much it cost before but you don’t remember the price, you can ask again saying

Ex.これ(は*)いくらだったっけ？

= Kore (wa) ikura dattakke?

= How much did it cost , again? (You told me the price before but but I don’t remember.)

Note : * （は）= wa : We often omit particles in conversation.

Although it is a casual suffix, there is a polite form.　(But be careful who you use it with.)

Ex. これはおいくらでしたか？ (polite)

= Kore wa oikura deshitaka?

= How much did it cost?

:u:

Ex. これはおいくらでしたっけ？(casual yet polite.)

= Korewa oikura deshitakke?

= How much did it cost again?

*************
!heartsippai! How to form :

You add it after auxiliary verbs, た ( = ta)／だ ( = da)／ のだ ( = noda)/ んだ ( = nda))/だった ( = datta) /  でした ( = deshita)

1) noun + だ ( = da)＋っけ ( = kke)

or

noun + だった ( = datta)＋っけ ( = kke)

(The politer form : noun + でした ( = deshita) ＋っけ ( = kke) ）

Note : だったっけ ( = dattakke) is considered to be a past tense. Though we sometimes use it to confirm  the future events.

Ex.1 – a )  試験は明日だっけ？

= Shiken wa ashita dakke?

= Is the exam tomorrow?

or

Ex. 1-b ) 試験は明日だったっけ？

= Shiken wa ashita dattakke? (I heard that before but I am not sure.)

They both mean the same but だったっけ(=dattakke) stresses the fact that you heard the information in past more.

:u: (casual but politer )

Ex.1-c) 試験は明日でしたっけ？

= Shiken wa ashita deshitakke?

Ex. 2-a) マギーは犬だっけ？

= Maggie wa inu dakke?

= Maggie is a dog, right?

:u: (casual but politer )

Ex. 2-b) マギーは犬でしたっけ?

= Maggie wa nu deshitakke?

Ex. 3-a) 次は私だっけ？  (female speech)

= Tsugi wa watashidakke?
= Is it my turn now?

:u:(casual but politer )

Ex. 3-b) 次は私でしたっけ？

= Tsugi wa watashi deshitakke?

Ex. 4-a) あの人、何て名前だっけ？

= Anohito nante namae dakke?

= What is/was that person’s (his/her) name?

:u: (casual but politer )

Ex. 4-b) あの人のお名前は何でしたっけ？

= Anohito no onamae wa nan deshitakke?

2) Interrogative words + だ ( = da) ＋ っけ ( = kke)

or + だった ( = datta)＋っけ  ( = kke)

(The politer form : interrogative word+ でした ( = deshita)＋っけ  ( = kke)）

Ex. 何だっけ？

= Nan dakke?

= What was it? (I don’t remember.)

:u: (casual but politer )

何でしたっけ？

= Nan deshitakke?

Ex. 誰だっけ？

= Dare dakke?

= Who is/was it, again? (Who was it? I don’t remember.)

:u: (casual but politer )

どなたでしたっけ？

= Donata deshitakke?

:u: (politer)

どちら様でしたっけ？

=Dochira sama deshitakke?

Ex. 何時だっけ？

= Nanji dakke?

= What time is/was it, again?

:u:(casual but politer )

何時でしたっけ？

= Nanji deshitakke?

Ex. どこだっけ？

= Doko dakke?

= Where is/was it again?

:u: (casual but politer )

どちらでしたっけ？

=Dochira deshitakke?

3) verb + っけ(=kke)

or verb + だった ( = datta) + っけ ( = kke)

3-1) verb present :

verb present plain form + のだ  ( = noda) / んだ  ( = nda)＋っけ  ( = kke) 

or　のだった  ( = nodatta) / んだった ( = ndatta) + っけ ( = kke)

(The politer form : verb present plain form + のでした  ( = nodeshita) or んでした ( = ndeshita)＋っけ ( = kke)）

Note:  If you want to know more about the function of  ん ( = n)  go check this lesson.

When and how to use ん = n (**のです→**んです）

Ex. これどうやって食べるんだっけ？

= Kore douyatte taberun dakke?

= I forgot. How should I eat this?

Note : Again, we sometimes use　（ん）だったっけ ( = (n) dattakke) to emphasize the fact you knew (heard ) the information or experienced it before.

:u:

Ex. これどうやって食べるんだったっけ？

= Kore douyatte taberun dattakke?

= How should I eat this again?  (You told me before, I have had it before but I forgot..)

:u: (casual but politer )

食べるのでしたっけ？

= Taberu no deshitakke?

or

食べるんでしたっけ？

= Taberundeshitakke?

Ex. 会議で何を話すんだっけ？

= Kaigi de nani wo hanasun dakke?

= What do I suppose to talk about in the meeting again?

:u:  (casual but politer )

話すのでしたっけ？

= Hanasu no deshitakke?

or

話すんでしたっけ？

= Hanasun deshitakke?

3-2) present progressive plain form + の ( = no) / ん ( = n)/＋だ ( = da) + っけ  ( = kke) 

or　verb + の ( = no) /ん ( = n）+ だった ( = datta) + っけ( = kke)

Ex. 今、何をやっているんだっけ？

= Ima nani wo yatte irun dakke?

= What are you doing now again?

3-3) past tense 

verb past plain form + っけ

or  + の ( = no) /ん( = n）+ だった ( = datta) + っけ ( = kke)

Ex. ここに前、来たっけ？

= Koko ni mae kitakke?

= Did I (we) come here before?

or

Ex. ここに前、来たんだっけ？

= Koko ni mae kitan dakke?

:u: (casual but politer )

Ex. こちらに前来ましたっけ？

= Kochira ni mae kimashitakke?

3-4) present perfect : 

*verb past plain form + っけ ( = kke)

*verb past plain form ＋んだ  ( = nda) + っけ ( = kke)

*verb past plain form + んだった  ( = ndatta) ＋っけ ( = kke)

(The politer form : ~ ました ( = mashita) + っけ ( = kke)

or

〜ことがあった ( = kotoga atta)+っけ  ( = kke)

(The politer form : ～ことがありました ( = kotoga arimashita)＋っけ  ( = kke)）

Ex. ここに前、来たことあったっけ？

= Koko ni mae kita koto attakke?

= Have we ever been here before?

:u: (casual but politer )

こちらに以前、来たことはありましたっけ？

= Kochira ni izen kita koto wa arimashitakke?

3-5) past progressive : 

verb past progressive  plain form +んだ ( = nda)＋っけ ( = kke)

or   verb + （ ん = n）だった ( = datta) + っけ ( = kke)

(politer)   past progressive plain form + の  ( = no)  (or ん=n) でした  ( = ndeshita) ＋っけ ( = kke)

Ex. 何を話していたんだっけ？

= Nani wo hanashite itan dakke?

= What were we talking about now? ? What was I talking about now? (I forgot)

or

Ex. 何を話していたんだったっけ？

= Naniwo hanashite itan dattakke?

:u: (casual but politer )

Ex. 何を話していたんでしたっけ？

= Nani wo hanashite itan deshitakke?

Ex. 前、トヨタで働いていたんだっけ？

= Mae Toyota de hataraite itan dakke?

= Were you working at Toyota before (You used to work at Toyota), right?
or

Ex. 前、トヨタで働いていたんだったっけ？

 = Mae Toyota de hataraite itan dattakke?

:u: (casual but politer )

Ex.  前、トヨタで働いていたんでしたっけ？

= Mae Toyota de hataraite itan deshitakke?

:u:  (politer)

Ex. 以前はトヨタでお仕事されていたんでしたっけ？

= Izen wa Toyota de oshigoto sarete itan deshitakke?

Ex. あれ？今日はクラスがないって言わなかったっけ？

= Are? Kyou wa kurasu ga naitte iwanakattakke?

= What? Didn’t I tell you we didn’t have a class today?

:u: (casual but politer )

Ex. 今日はクラスがないって言いませんでしたっけ？

= Kyou wa kurasu ga naitte iimasen deshitakke?

5) adjective + っけ ( = kke)

5-1) i-adjective present tense :

i-adjective +のだ ( = noda) / んだ ( = nda)＋っけ  ( = kke)？

or

i-adjective paste tense +  っけ  ( = kke)？

or のだった ( = nodatta) / んだった(=ndatta) + っけ ( = kke)

(the politer form : i-adjective +んでした ( = ndeshita)＋っけ ( = kke)？）

Ex. これでいいんだっけ？

= Kore de iin dakke?

= Is this (way) OK, you think?

:u:    (casual but politer )

いいんでしたっけ？

= iin deshitakke?

or

Ex.これでよかったっけ？

= Kore de yokattakke?

:u:   (casual but politer )

よかったんでしたっけ？

= yokattan deshitakke?

5-2) i-adjectives past tense:

i-adjective past tense  ＋っけ ( = kke)？

i-adjective past tense + んだ ( = nda)+ っけ ( = kke)?

(the polite forms) :

i-adjective past tense + でした（ = deshita) + っけ ( = kke)

i-adjective past tense + んでした（ = ndeshita) + っけ ( = kke)

Ex. 彼は背が高かったっけ？

= Kare wa se ga takakattakke?

= Was he tall? (I forgot)

:u:  (casual but politer )

彼は背が高かったでしたっけ？

= Kare wa se ga takakatta deshitakke?

5-3) na-adjective present tense :

na-adjecitve + だ ( = da)+っけ ( = kke)？

or だった ( = datta) + っけ ( = kke)

(politer) na-adjecitve + でした ( = deshita)＋っけ ( = kke)？

Ex. あの店は静かだっけ？

=Ano mise wa shizuka dakke?

= Is that place (shop, restaurant, bar, coffee shop) quiet ? (I don’t remember well.)

  :u: (casual but politer ) 

そこは静かでしたっけ？

= Soko wa shizuka deshitakke?

Ex. ケンちゃんはこのおやつ好きだっけ？

= Kenchan wa kono oyatsu sukidakke?

= Did (Does) Ken-chan like this snack or not?

or

ケンちゃんはこのおやつ好きだったっけ？

= Kenchan wa kono oyatsu suki dattakke?

:u: (casual but politer )

Ex.  ケンちゃんはこのおやつお好きでしたっけ？

= Kenchan wa  kono oyatsu osukideshitakke?

5-4) na-adjective past tense : 

past tense : + だったっけ？ = dattakke?

(politer) na-adjecitve + でした＋っけ？

Ex.マギー先生は前からこんなにきれいだったっけ？

= Maggie sensei wa mae kara konnani kirei dattakke?

= Was Maggie Sensei this beautiful before?

 :u: (casual but politer )

Ex.マギー先生は前からこんなにきれいでしたっけ？

= Maggie Sensei wa mae kara konnani kirei deshitakke?

In case you wonder the same thing…

:u:

はい、前からこんなにきれいでした。

= Hai, mae kara konnani kirei deshita.

= Yes, I have been this beautiful.

でも、今は前よりもっと美しくなったかもしれません。 :)

= Demo ima wa mae yori motto utsukushiku natta kamo shiremasen.

= But I could  be even more beautiful now than before.

6) Another way to use っけ ( = kke)

っけ  ( = kke) is not always a question.

You use it when you just remembered something and talking to yourself . I just remember something…

Ex. ああ、日本語がわからない時は、マギー先生がいたっけ。

= As, nihongo ga wakaranai toki wa Maggie sensei ga itakke.

= Oh, I just remembered we can count on Maggie Sensei  when don’t understand Japanese language.

Ex. そうそう、まだ卵が冷蔵庫にあったっけ。

= Sousou mada tamago ga reizouko ni attakke.

= Oh, I just remembered we still have some eggs in the fridge.

You also use っけ ( = kke) when  you are remembering past events feeling nostalgic or sentimental.

Ex. 昔はよく海に家族でいったっけ。

= Mukashi wa yoku umi ni kazoku de ittakke.

= I used to go to the beach with my family.  (Good old days..)

Ex. そういうこともあったっけ…(looking back the past.)

= Souiu kotomo attakke.

= That (kind of thing) happened as well. / I have been through that as well. (Now I remember.)

Ex. 子供の頃、毎週日曜日になるとお父さんと野球をしたっけなあ。

= Kodomo no koro maishuu nichiyoubi ni naruto otousan to yakyuu wo shitakkenaa.

= I used to play baseball with my dad on Sundays when I was a child.. (Remembering the past feeling sentimental.)

*******

マギー先生より= Maggie Sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei

Do you know how to use「っけ」now?

ところで今日、朝ご飯、食べたっけ？

=Tokoro de kyou asagohan tabetakke?

=BTW Did I have breakfast today??? I don’t remember…

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