何(なん)だって

なんだって
interjection
what?!; what did you say?; you don't say!
informalexpression
1. what?!; what did you say?; you don't say!
Colloquial expression used to express surprise at something just heard, or to ask someone to repeat what they said. The surprise can be genuine shock, disbelief, or simply not having caught what was said.
「山田(やまだ)さんが結婚(けっこん)したって。」「何(なん)だって？本当(ほんとう)に？」
"Apparently Yamada got married." "What?! Really?"
え、何(なん)だって？もう一度(いちど)言(い)ってください。
Huh, what? Please say that again.
「試験(しけん)が来週(らいしゅう)に延(の)びたよ。」「何(なん)だって！それは助(たす)かった。」
"The exam was pushed back to next week." "What?! That's a relief."

Casual expression combining なん (what) + だ (copula) + って (hearsay/quotation particle, here serving as an exclamatory marker). Used both to ask for repetition and to express surprise.

Similar words

  • え？: huh?; what? — neutral surprise or mishearing
  • なんと: what!; how surprising — more formal/literary
  • まさか: no way; you're kidding — stronger disbelief
  • うそ: no way; seriously? — casual disbelief

Related Words

Compare: まさか (no way)
general
Added 2026.6.12 17:56 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:31
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