ええと

ええと
interjection
well...; let me see...; um...; uh...
1. a hesitation marker used to fill the silence while the speaker is thinking, recalling something, or searching for the right word; the rough Japanese equivalent of English 'well...', 'let me see...', or 'um...'
One of the most common Japanese filler words. Speakers use ええと at the start or in the middle of an utterance when they need a moment to think — to recall a fact, choose a word, or organize their thoughts. It is a polite, neutral filler that does not carry any particular emotional colour, and is appropriate in almost any situation, from chatting with friends to answering a teacher's question. Often spelled with one or two long vowels (ええと, えーと, えっと); the spoken form can range from a brief 'eto' to a drawn-out 'eee...to' depending on how long the speaker pauses.
ええと、ちょっと待(ま)って。
Um, hold on a moment.
ええと、次(つぎ)は何(なん)でしたっけ？
Let me see, what was next?
ええと、確(たし)か会議(かいぎ)は三時(さんじ)から始(はじ)まるはずです。
Let me think — I believe the meeting is supposed to start at three o'clock.
「出身(しゅっしん)はどちらですか？」「ええと、生(う)まれは大阪(おおさか)で、今(いま)は東京(とうきょう)に住(す)んでいます。」
"Where are you from?" "Let me see — I was born in Osaka and now I live in Tokyo."

One of the most universal Japanese fillers. It serves the same function as English 'well...', 'let me see...', or 'um...': it lets the listener know that the speaker is thinking and is about to continue, rather than that they have nothing to say.

USAGE:
ええと is neutral in register and works in nearly any conversational situation, including formal ones. Compared with えっと (a more clipped, casual variant) and the much more colloquial あの・あの〜 ('uhh, you know'), ええと has a slightly thoughtful, considered feel — it suggests that the speaker is genuinely searching for an answer rather than stalling or hedging.

Written forms vary: ええと, えーと, and えっと are all common. The most stretched-out form ええっと can suggest deeper thinking or mild surprise.

Unlike English 'um', ええと is not generally felt as a sign of poor speaking ability. It is widely used by professional speakers, teachers, and TV personalities, especially when working out a calculation, recalling a date, or checking notes.

GRAMMAR:
ええと typically stands at the beginning of an utterance, often followed by a slight pause and then the actual content. It can also appear mid-sentence at a hesitation point. It is not a particle and does not connect to other words grammatically.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • ええと、今日(きょう)は…: 'Um, today...'
  • ええと、ちょっと待(ま)って: 'Uh, hold on a sec'
  • ええと、確(たし)か…: 'Let me see, I believe...'
  • ええと、何(なん)でしたっけ: 'Um, what was it again?'
  • ええと、そうですね: 'Well, let me think...'

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • えっと: a clipped, slightly more casual variant of ええと; very common in everyday speech.
  • あの / あの〜: uh, you know — used to fill silence or to soften the start of an utterance, especially when addressing a stranger or asking for something. Less about thinking, more about social hesitation.
  • そうですね: 'Let me see, well...' — a more thoughtful filler used especially before answering a question.
  • うーん: 'Hmm...' — a thinking sound, often suggesting indecision or a difficult question.
  • なんていうか: 'How can I put it...' — used when the speaker is searching for the right way to express something.
  • ま / まあ: well... — a slightly evasive or noncommittal filler.

REGISTER:
Neutral. Appropriate in conversation between friends, family, and strangers, and in semi-formal contexts such as job interviews — though in highly formal speeches, speakers usually try to minimize fillers altogether.

general
Added 2026.4.12 10:47
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