〜と言う — Japanese Grammar

〜と言う

Property	Value
Pattern	〜と言う
JLPT Level	N4
Type	quotation
Formality	Neutral
Register	Both

Meaning

The pattern 〜と言う (to iu) is used to quote someone, define a term, or report information. It literally translates to "to say [that]..." or "called [name]." It is the fundamental way to introduce indirect speech or labels in Japanese.

Structure Formula

[Plain form sentence] + と言う
[Noun] + と言う

• Plain form sentence: Includes verbs, i-adjectives, na-adjectives (with 'da'), and nouns (with 'da') in their dictionary or past tense forms.
• Noun: Used to define or name something (e.g., "A thing called X").

Detailed Explanation

The pattern 〜と言う serves two primary functions. First, it acts as a quotation marker. When you want to report what someone said or what is written in a document, you place the content before "と" and follow it with the verb "言う" (to say). Unlike English, which often uses "that" to introduce indirect speech, Japanese uses the particle "と" to mark the boundary of the quoted content.

Second, it is used for naming or defining. When you want to introduce a name or explain what something is, you use the structure [Name] + と言う + [Noun]. For example, "A person called Tanaka" is Tanaka to iu hito. This is essential for clarifying terminology or introducing new subjects in conversation.

In terms of formality, 〜と言う is neutral. In polite speech, you will frequently conjugate this to 〜と言います (to iimasu) or 〜と言った (to itta) for past tense. In very casual conversation, it is often contracted to 〜って (tte), though learners should master the full form first for accuracy in writing and formal settings.

It is important to note that when quoting, the tense inside the quotation usually remains the same as it was when originally spoken. If you are reporting a fact that is still true, you use the present tense; if you are reporting a past event, you use the past tense.

Example Sentences

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
彼は明日行くと言う。	かれはあしたいくという。	Kare wa ashita iku to iu.	He says he will go tomorrow.
田中と言う人を知っていますか。	たなかというひとをしっていますか。	Tanaka to iu hito o shitte imasu ka.	Do you know a person called Tanaka?
それは「秘密」と言う意味です。	それは「ひみつ」といういみです。	Sore wa "himitsu" to iu imi desu.	That means "secret."
先生は早く寝ろと言った。	せんせいははやくねろといった。	Sensei wa hayaku nero to itta.	The teacher said to go to bed early.
これは日本語で何と言うの？	これはにほんごでなんというの？	Kore wa nihongo de nan to iu no?	What do you call this in Japanese?
彼は忙しいと言っていました。	かれはいそがしいといっていました。	Kare wa isogashii to itte imashita.	He was saying that he is busy.
私は彼に「待って」と言った。	わたしはかれに「まって」といった。	Watashi wa kare ni "matte" to itta.	I said "wait" to him.
富士山と言う山はとても有名です。	ふじさんというやまはとてもゆうめいです。	Fujisan to iu yama wa totemo yuumei desu.	The mountain called Mt. Fuji is very famous.

Comparison with Similar Patterns

〜と言う vs 〜と聞く (to kiku)

• 〜と言う (to iu): Focuses on the act of stating or naming.
• 〜と聞く (to kiku): Focuses on the act of hearing information from someone.

Pattern	Nuance	Example
〜と言う	Reporting a statement	明日雨だと言う (He says it will rain tomorrow)
〜と聞く	Reporting hearsay	明日雨だと聞く (I heard it will rain tomorrow)

〜と言う vs 〜と書いてある (to kaite aru)

• 〜と言う: General quotation (can be spoken or written).
• 〜と書いてある: Specifically refers to text or signs.

Common Mistakes

1. Omitting the 'to': Learners often forget the particle "と".
   • ❌ 彼は行く言う → ✓ 彼は行くと言う
2. Mixing polite/plain forms: You should generally keep the quoted part in plain form.
   • ❌ 彼は行きますと言う → ✓ 彼は行くと言う
3. Using 'to iu' for hearsay: If you heard it from someone else, use 〜と聞きました instead of 〜と言いました to avoid confusion about who is the source of the information.

Practice Exercises

Fill in the blank:

1. 彼は「また明日」と____。(He said "see you tomorrow.")
2. 「猫」は英語で何と____か。(What do you call "neko" in English?)
3. 私は彼に「頑張れ」と____。(I told him "do your best.")
4. 山田と____学生を知っています。(I know a student called Yamada.)
5. 先生は「宿題をしてください」と____。(The teacher said "please do your homework.")

Answer Key:

1. 言った (itta) - Past tense quotation.
2. 言いますか (iimasu ka) - Polite question form.
3. 言いました (iimashita) - Polite past tense.
4. 言う (iu) - Used to define the noun "student".
5. 言いました (iimashita) - Polite past tense.

JLPT Level Notes

In the JLPT N4, this pattern often appears in reading comprehension sections to identify the speaker's intent or to clarify the definition of a specific term mentioned in the text. Pay close attention to the tense inside the quotation marks; the test may ask you to distinguish between what someone said (past) versus what they are saying (present).