Both のって and んだって appear constantly in Japanese casual conversation, anime, and manga. Many learners confuse these patterns because they sound similar and both end with って. However, they serve completely different purposes: のって explains reasons, while んだって reports what someone else said.
のって vs んだって Overview
intermediate
のって Pattern:
- Casual form of のです/んです
- Used to explain reasons or provide background
- Equivalent to "because..." or "the thing is..."
んだって Pattern:
- Reports hearsay or indirect speech
- Used to relay what someone else said
- Equivalent to "I heard that..." or "they said..."
Understanding のって (Explaining)
遅れたのって、電車が止まったからなんだ。
Okureta notte, densha ga tomatta kara nan da.
The reason I was late is because the train stopped.
Word breakdown:
遅れたokuretawas lateverb
のってnottethe reason isexplanatory particle
電車denshatrainnoun
がgasubject markerparticle
止まったtomattastoppedverb
からkarabecauseconjunction
なんだnan dait iscopula
Key features of のって:
- Casual contraction of の + です
- Used when explaining the reason behind something
- Often appears in responses to questions like "why?" or "how come?"
- Creates emphasis on the explanation
Understanding んだって (Hearsay)
田中さんが転職するんだって。
Tanaka-san ga tenshoku suru n datte.
I heard that Tanaka-san is changing jobs.
Word breakdown:
田中さんTanaka-sanMr./Ms. Tanakaproper noun
がgasubject markerparticle
転職tenshokujob changenoun
するsuruto doverb
んだってn datteI heard thathearsay marker
Key features of んだって:
- Contraction of の + だ + って
- Reports information from someone else
- Shows the speaker didn't witness the event directly
- Common in gossip and casual information sharing
Side-by-Side Comparison
のって vs んだって Usage
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| のって | notte | explaining reasons (because...) | N3 |
| んだって | n datte | reporting hearsay (I heard that...) | N3 |
2 words
Explaining with のって
今日学校に行かないのって、風邪ひいたから。
Kyou gakkou ni ikanai notte, kaze hiita kara.
The reason I'm not going to school today is because I caught a cold.
Word breakdown:
今日kyoutodaynoun
学校gakkouschoolnoun
にnitoparticle
行かないikanainot goingverb
のってnottethe reason isexplanatory
風邪kazecoldnoun
ひいたhiitacaughtverb
からkarabecauseconjunction
Reporting with んだって
明日雨が降るんだって。
Ashita ame ga furu n datte.
I heard it's going to rain tomorrow.
Word breakdown:
明日ashitatomorrownoun
雨amerainnoun
がgasubject markerparticle
降るfuruto fallverb
んだってn datteI heard thathearsay marker
Common Usage Patterns
1. Responding to Questions (のって)
A: なんで泣いてるの？ B: 映画が悲しかったのって。
A: Nande naiteiru no? B: Eiga ga kanashikatta notte.
A: Why are you crying? B: Because the movie was sad.
2. Sharing News (んだって)
新しいアニメが来月始まるんだって！
Atarashii anime ga raigetsu hajimaru n datte!
I heard a new anime is starting next month!
3. Explaining Situations (のって)
遅くなったのって、仕事が忙しかったから。
Osoku natta notte, shigoto ga isogashikatta kara.
I was late because work was busy.
4. Reporting Rumors (んだって)
あの店、来月閉店するんだって。
Ano mise, raigetsu heiten suru n datte.
I heard that store is closing next month.
Practice Exercises
Choose のって or んだって
1 of 4
A: どうして宿題やってないの？ B: 昨日忙しかった＿＿。
Real-World Usage
You'll encounter these patterns frequently in:
- Manga Dialogue: Characters explaining situations or sharing gossip
- Anime Conversations: Casual explanations and rumor sharing
- Social Media: Japanese people explaining events or sharing news
- Daily Conversations: Natural explanations and information sharing
Common Mistakes to Avoid
-
Using んだって for your own explanations
- ❌ 遅れたんだって、電車が遅れたから
- ✅ 遅れたのって、電車が遅れたから
-
Using のって for hearsay
- ❌ 田中さんが転職するのって
- ✅ 田中さんが転職するんだって
-
Mixing up the contexts
- Remember: のって = explaining, んだって = reporting
Key Differences Summary
| Pattern | Purpose | Example Context |
|---|---|---|
| のって | Explaining reasons | "Why are you late?" → "Because..." |
| んだって | Reporting hearsay | "Did you hear?" → "I heard that..." |
The key is remembering that のって comes from your own knowledge to explain, while んだって comes from someone else's information to report.
Master Japanese Casual Speech
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