The Japanese phrase という[to iu] is a combination of the quotation marker と[to] and the verb 言う[iu](to say). Most language learners first encounter this expression because it is used when you quote someone:
寝る前に「おやすみ」と言います。
Neru mae ni "oyasumi" to iimasu.
People say “oyasumi” before going to bed.
However, という[to iu] is actually used in a wide range of other situations as well! In this post, we will explore the most common situations where you can use this phrase and introduce some related expressions as well.
Sounds good? Let’s get started!
As mentioned earlier, という[to iu] roughly means “says that…” and it is composed of two parts:
The quotation marker と[to]:
This is a particle, used after a quotation, much like you might introduce a quote with “that” in English. In casual speech, it can be replaced with って[tte].
The verb 言う[iu]:
The verb 言う[iu] is equivalent to “to say” in English, but it can have a number of other translations, depending on the context, like “to call” or “to name.” In everyday speech, it sounds more like “yū.” In a polite context you can sometimes use the polite form of the verb: 言います[iimasu].
The expression という[to iu] is used either at the end of a sentence or before a noun. When it is attached to a noun, という[to iu] tends to lose its original meaning and is commonly written in Hiragana instead of Kanji. In the upcoming sections, we will take a look at each function of という[to iu].
という[to iu] can be used to provide the name for someone or something, or to explain what something is called. You’ll use this when introducing yourself, or when teaching someone a new word.
In this usage, という[to iu] is placed at the end of the sentence, preceded by the name.
Named Thing + は[wa]
Name
という
to iu
(私は、)田中と言います。
(Watashi wa,) Tanaka to iimasu.
My name is Tanaka.
lit. I’m named Tanaka.
この花は、ひまわりと言う。
Kono hana wa himawari to iu.
This flower is called sunflower.
Here are a few other ways to introduce yourself in Japanese:
For a less formal introduction, avoid using という[to iu] altogether like this:
(私は) 田中です 。
(Watashi wa) Tanaka desu.
I’m Tanaka.
For a more formal introduction, replace the verb 言う[iu] with its humble form, 申す[mōsu]:
(私は、) 田中と申します。
(Watashi wa,) Tanaka to mōshimasu.
My name is Tanaka.
This use of という[to iu] is particularly important for language learners, because you’ll need it to ask how to say words in Japanese!
「Cat」は、日本語で何と言いますか。
"Cat" wa, nihongo de nan to iimasu ka.
How do you say “cat” in Japanese?
「猫」と言います。
"Neko" to iimasu.
(We) say “neko.”
You can also give the name of something using the structure below. In this case, you’ll create a structure like “the [noun] called [name].”
Name
という
to iru
Type of thing
明日、「嵐」という映画を見ます。
Ashita, “Arashi” to iu eiga o mimasu.
Tomorrow, I will watch a movie called “Arashi.”
Kore wa, 「一郎」 という 店です。
Kore wa, “Ichiro” to iu mise desu.
This is a store called “Ichiro.”
To report information you heard from someone else, you can add という[to iu] to a sentence ending in the plain form. This way of reporting speech is most common in writing or when using a formal tone.
Reported Information
plain form
という
to iu
この街には毎年多くの人が訪れるという。
Kono machi ni wa maitoshi ōku no hito ga otozureru to iu.
I heard that many people visit this town every year.
You can also use plain negative forms or plain past tense forms before という[to iu].
来週まで商品が入荷できないという。
Raishū made shōhin ga nyūka dekinai to iu.
It is said that the products will not be able to arrive in stock until next week.
今朝、高速道路で事故があったという。
Kesa, kōsoku dōro de jiko ga atta to iu.
I heard that there was an accident on the highway this morning.
Because it’s a bit formal, you’ll most often encounter という[to iu] used this way in newspapers, literature, and similar contexts. In spoken language, it’s more common to use other hearsay expressions such as そうだ[sōda], らしい[rashii], or だって[datte].
You can also use という[to iu] to emphasize a noun. There are a few different ways to do this.
Highlighting one or one part of a group:
To call attention to one member of a category or group, follow the pattern below.
Emphasized Noun
という
to iu
Category or group
人間という生き物は、本当に面白い。
Ningen to iu ikimono wa, hontōni omoshiroi.
Human beings, of (all) creatures, are truly interesting.
今日という日を、絶対に忘れません。
Kyō to iu hi o, zettai ni wasuremasen.
Today, of (all) days, I will never forget.
Highlighting the number of things in a group:
To emphasize the number or quantity of members in a group or category, follow this pattern.
Number / Quantity
という
to iu
Category or group
何十万という鳥たちが、一斉に飛び立った。
Nanjūman to iu toritachi ga, issei ni tobitatta.
Hundreds of thousands of birds took off simultaneously.
Highlighting the entirety of a group:
To emphasize that you’re talking about a whole entire group, use the pattern below. This pattern is mostly found in literature.
Category or group
という
to iu
Category or group
元旦は、店という店が閉まっていた。
Gantan wa, mise to iu mise ga shimatte ita.
All of the stores were closed on New Year’s day.
という[to iu] can be used to link a noun with a phrase or sentence that describes or modifies it.
Modifying sentence
plain form
という
to iu
Noun
近くに新しい学校ができるっていう話、聞いた？
Chikaku ni atarashii gakkō ga dekiru tte iu hanashi, kiita?
Have you heard the story that a new school will be built nearby?
You’ll most often use という[to iu] this way after nouns that represent speech, thoughts, opinions, or situations. Some examples might be:
話
hanashi
story
意見
iken
opinion
事実
jijitsu
fact
However, という[to iu] should not be attached to every phrase that modifies a noun! Depending on the type of noun involved, という[to iu] can be either optional or completely unnecessary. Let’s explore each of the cases!
という[to iu] is optional when a phrase describes the content, topic, or focus of a noun that doesn’t directly relate to thought or language, like:
仕事
shigoto
work
経験
keiken
experience
事故
jiko
accident
特徴
tokuchō
characteristic
性格
seikaku
“personality”
With nouns like these, whether you include という[to iu] is often a matter of preference. It is included to add a bit of emphasis to the modifier.
環境を守る仕事は、大切だと思います。
Kankyō o mamoru shigoto wa, taisetsu da to omoimasu.
I believe that work that protects the environment is important.
環境を守る という 仕事は、大切だと思います。
Kankyō o mamoru shigoto wa, taisetsu da to omoimasu.
I believe that work that protects the environment is important.
However, if the noun itself is really the focus, you should not use という[to iu] after the modifier of nouns. For example, in the following sentence, including という[to iu] sounds odd or even wrong. It’s better to leave it out.
❓ 環境を守るという仕事がしたいです。
Kankyō o mamoru to iu shigoto ga shitai desu.
I want to do a job that protects the environment.
✅環境を守る仕事がしたいです。
Kankyō o mamoru shigoto ga shitai desu.
I want to do a job that protects the environment.
Whether or not you should use という[to iu] with a noun like this depends on the exact sentence structure and the placement of emphasis.
To test whether including という[to iu] will sound natural, see what happens when you get rid of the noun being modified, and just nominalize the modifier with the the particle の[no]. If the sentence still sounds fine, you can add という[to iu].
環境を守る仕事は、大切だと思います。
Kankyō o mamoru shigoto wa, taisetsu da to omoimasu.
I believe that work that protects the environment is important.
✅環境を守るのは、大切だと思います。
Kankyō o mamoru no wa, taisetsu da to omoimasu.
I believe that protecting the environment is important.
✅環境を守るという仕事は、大切だと思います。
Kankyō o mamoru to iu shigoto wa, taisetsu da to omoimasu.
I believe that work that protects the environment is important.
However, if you cannot nominalize the modifier, including という[to iu] will sound unnatural.
環境を守る仕事がしたいです。
Kankyō o mamoru shigoto ga shitai desu.
I want to do a job that protects the environment.
❌環境を守るのがしたいです。
Kankyō o mamoru to iu no ga shitai desu.
I want to do protecting the environment.
❓環境を守るという仕事がしたいです。
Kankyō o mamoru to iu shigoto ga shitai desu.
I want to do a job that protects the environment.
There are some nouns whose topic, focus, or content is never described using a phrase ending in という[to iu]. These include nouns related to senses (e.g. sound, taste, smell, pain) or visual art (e.g. photograph, painting).
✅子供が笑っている声が聞こえる。
Kodomo ga waratte iru koe ga kikoeru.
I can hear the sound of children laughing.
❌子供が笑っているという声が聞こえる。
Kodomo ga waratte iru to iu koe ga kikoeru.
✅これは、妹が料理をしている絵だ。
Kore wa, imōto ga ryōri o shite iru e da.
This is a painting of my younger sister cooking.
❌これは、妹が料理をしている 絵という絵だ。
Kore wa, imōto ga ryōri o shite iru to iu e da.
という[to iu] is often a part of longer expressions that have a range of different functions. Some of the most common are:
ということ
to iu koto
というと
to iu to
というより
to iu yori
というか
to iu ka
というのは
to iu no wa
Let’s look closer at each one!
When the of a verb like 話す[hanasu](to speak), 伝える[tsutaeru](to inform) and 聞く[kiku](to listen) is a contained and packaged message, like fact or an abstract idea, you’ll often mark that message with ということ[to iu koto].
This phrase is composed of two parts:
という[to iu], which marks the message being communicated, as we saw above.
こと[koto], a that marks the message as a substantive fact or idea.
This is especially common when the message being conveyed is quite long. Let’s see some examples!
明日はテストがあるということを学生に伝えた。
Ashita wa tesuto ga aru to iu koto o gakusē ni tsutaeta.
I informed the students (of the fact) that there will be a test tomorrow.
明日は授業の最初に復習をした後テストがあるということを学生に伝えた。
Ashita wa jugyō no saisho ni fukushū o shita ato tesuto ga aru to iu koto o gakusei ni tsutaeta.
I informed the students (of the fact) that there will be a test after we have a review session at the beginning of the class tomorrow.
You can also use ということ[to iu koto] to mark other contained and packaged messages. For example it is used:
To give the meaning, a summary, or an interpretation of the . In this case, ということ[to iu koto] is used at the end of a sentence and is followed by a state-of-being phrase, like だ[da] or です[desu].
Subject + は[wa]
Meaning of subject
(plain form)
ということ
to iu koto
だ / です
da / desu
「食べ放題」は、 いくら食べてもいいということですよ。
“Tabe hōdai” wa, ikura tabetemo ii to iu koto desu yo.
“Tabehōdai” means that you can eat as much as you want.
In conversation, you can place ということ[to iu koto] at the beginning of a sentence that aims to clarify the meaning of what someone else said. In this case, ということ[to iu koto] stands in for the subject, so it’s followed by the topic marker は[wa].
部長が明日のミーティングに来られなくなったそうだ。
Buchō ga ashita no miitingu ni korarenaku natta sō da.
I heard that the department manager won't be able to attend tomorrow's meeting.
ということは、明日のミーティングは延期ですか？
To iu koto wa, ashita no miitingu wa enki desu ka?
That means tomorrow's meeting will be postponed?
Where, in English, you would use the phrase “speaking of” before a noun, you’ll often use というと[to iu to] after the noun in Japanese. This phrase is composed of という[to iu] followed by the conditional marker と[to]. Just like “speaking of,” you’ll use this to provide some additional information about something you or someone else has recently been discussing.
シカゴというと、ピザが有名ですよね。
Shikago to iu to, piza ga yūmei desu yo ne.
Speaking of Chicago, it's famous for pizza, isn't it?
In spoken language, you’ll often hear a variation on というと[to iu to]: といえば[to ie ba] or, less formally, ていえば[tte ie ba]. These expressions both rely on いえば[ie ba] another way to form a conditional of the verb いう[iu].
シカゴっていえば、ピザが有名だよね。
Shikago tte ie ba, piza ga yūmei da yo ne.
Speaking of Chicago, it's famous for pizza, isn't it?
When you want to say that one description is more appropriate than the other, you’ll often add というより[to iu yori] before the better description of the two. This phrase is composed of という[to iu] followed by the comparison marker より[yori], which roughly means “than”.
Possible Description
plain form*
いうより
to iu yori
Better description
この色は、赤 というより、 ピンクだと思う。
Kono iro wa, aka to iu yori pinku, da to omou.
I think this color is more pink rather than red.
彼は、静かというより、 恥ずかしがり屋だ。
Kare wa, shizuka to iu yori hazukashigariya da.
He is shy rather than quiet.
When you want to express that your impression or judgement about something is uncertain, you’ll often follow it with というか[to iu ka] — a combination of という[to iu] and the question particle か[ka]. You can use this expression more than once in a sentence, if there is more than one way you’re considering judging something.
Possible judgement
plain form
というか
to iu ka
田中さんは、 真面目すぎるというか、 頑固というか...。
Tanaka-san wa, majime sugiru to iu ka, ganko to iu ka...
Mr. Tanaka is… maybe too serious or maybe stubborn…
If you are not sure how to describe your impression explicitly, you can use the question word 何[nan](what) instead.
田中さんは、真面目すぎるというか、何というか...。
Tanaka-san wa, majime sugiru to iu ka, nan to iu ka...
Mr. Tanaka is… maybe too serious or maybe something else…
lit. …maybe too serious or maybe what
You’ll also sometimes use というか[to iu ka] to correct, rephrase, or restate what you have just said, similar to “more accurately” in English.
この部屋は狭いというか...物が多すぎるよね。
Kono heya wa semai to iu ka... mono ga ōsugiru yo ne.
This room is small… or maybe there are just too many things, right?
This usage of というか[to iu ka] has also evolved to serve as a way of shifting the topic in a conversation, similar to the phrase “by the way” in English. It’s usually placed at the beginning of the utterance. In very casual situations, the casual version っていうか[tte iu ka] is often used to do this.
っていうか、明日空いてる？
Tte iu ka, ashita aiteru?
By the way, are you free tomorrow?
というのは[to iu no wa] and というのも[to iu no mo] are used to introduce a sentence that explains an outcome. Either phrase can be used at the beginning of a sentence that ends with 〜からだ[kara da], meaning “is because.”
というのは / というのも
to iu no wa / to iu no mo
Explanation
plain form
〜からだ
kara da
明日の会議はキャンセルしようと思う。 というのは、参加できない人が多いからだ。
Ashita no kaigi wa kyanseru shiyō to omou. To iu no wa, sanka dekinai hito ga ōi kara da.
I’m thinking of canceling tomorrow’s meeting. The reason is because many people are unable to attend.
今年はなるべく外食しないようにしている。というのも、外食は自炊よりずっと高いからだ。
Kotoshi wa narubeku gaishoku shinai yōni shite iru. To iu no mo, gaishoku wa jisui yori zutto takai kara da.
This year, I’m making an effort to avoid eating out as much as possible. The reason is because dining out is much more expensive than cooking at home.
What’s the difference? Often they mean the same thing, but here's what separates them:
というのも[ to iu no mo] is a more logical explanation:
“This happened. The reason was…”
というのは[to iu no wa] sounds more like you’re giving context for the situation, and the context happens to be the reason it happened.
“This happened. And, just so you understand, the reason was…”
In this post, we’ve covered how to use という[to iu], and some expressions that include this phrase. Here is a quick summary of the uses we saw:
Main uses of という[to iu] | |
|---|---|
Names | (私は、) 田中と言います。 (Watashi wa,) Tanaka to iimasu. My name is Tanaka. lit. I’m called Tanaka. |
Hearsay | この街には毎年多くの人が訪れるという。 Kono machi ni wa maitoshi ōku no hito ga otozureru to iu. I heard that many people visit this town every year. |
Emphasis | 人間という生き物は、本当に面白い。 Ningen to iu ikimono wa, hontōni omoshiroi. Human beings, of (all) creatures, are truly interesting. |
Connecting a noun | 近くに新しい学校ができるっていう話、聞いた？ Chikaku ni atarashii gakkō ga dekiru tte iu hanashi, kiita? Have you heard the story that a new school will be built nearby? |
Phrases that include という[to iu] | |
|---|---|
ということ to iu koto the fact/idea/reality that... | 明日はテストがあるということを学生に伝えた。 Ashita wa tesuto ga aru to iu koto o gakusē ni tsutaeta. I informed the students (of the fact) that there will be a test tomorrow. |
というと to iu to speaking of… | シカゴというと、ピザが有名ですよね。 Shikago to iu to, piza ga yūmei desu yo ne. Speaking of Chicago, it's famous for pizza, isn't it? |
というより to iu yori …rather than… | この色は、赤というより、ピンクだと思う。 Kono iro wa, aka to iu yori, pinku da to omou. I think this color is more pink rather than red. |
というか to iu ka maybe… (or maybe…) | 田中さんは、真面目すぎるというか、頑固というか...。 Tanaka-san wa, majime sugiru to iu ka, ganko to iu ka... Mr. Tanaka is… maybe too serious or maybe stubborn… |
というのは to iu no wa the reason is because… | 明日の会議はキャンセルしようと思う。というのは、参加できない人が多いからだ。 Ashita no kaigi wa kyanseru shiyō to omou. To iu no wa, sanka dekinai hito ga ōi kara da. I’m thinking of canceling tomorrow’s meeting. The reason is because many people are unable to attend. |
Ready to practice what you’ve learned? Check out these という[to iu] exercises to test your skills! Happy learning!
