JLPT N1Spoken, casualImpatient

ってばI said …!; honestly, …

You have said it once, and the other person isn't listening or doesn't believe you. ってば on the end says it again with a push: "I said…", "I'm telling you". After a name it calls someone who isn't answering, or sighs about them.

insisting

大だい丈じょう夫ぶだってば。何なん度ども確かく認にんしたよ。

I'm telling you, it's fine. I checked several times.

after a name

ねえ、お母かあさんってば。聞きいてる？

Mom. Mom! Are you listening?

Insisting

What you have already said + ってば

After a statement, a request or an order: 分わかったってば, 待まってってば, やめろってば. A noun or a な-adjective keeps its だ: 本ほん当とうだってば. Polite forms take it too: 本ほん当とうですってば.

After a name

Name + ってば

Straight after the name, with no だ.

Said to: Someone close: family, friends, a partner.
Tone: Impatient, often a little whiny. Said lightly it teases or reassures; said sharply it is cross.
Who says it: Anyone, and children a great deal. After a name it tends to sound childlike or feminine.
Where you'll meet it: Everyday talk, and all over manga, anime and dramas.

I said…

Said out of the blue, it sounds like a complaint that the other person wasn't listening.

A

まだ怒おこってるの？

Are you still angry?

B

怒おこってないってば。もう気きにしてないよ。

I'm not angry, I told you. I've let it go.

A

まだ行いかないの？

Aren't we going yet?

B

だから、早はやく靴くつを履はいてってば！

That's why I keep telling you to hurry up and put your shoes on!

触さわるなってば！危あぶないよ。

Don't touch it, I said! It's dangerous.

今いまやるってば！何なん度ども言いわないで。

I said I'll do it now! Stop telling me over and over.

to a senior you are close to

先せん輩ぱい、本ほん当とうに知しらないんですってば。

I really don't know, I'm telling you.

After a name

Called out, it is a second or third try at getting someone's attention. With a comment after it, it is a fed-up, often fond sigh about them.

お父とうさんってば、またソファで寝ねてる。

Honestly, Dad's asleep on the sofa again.

Close neighbours

ったらN2

The same two jobs, the other way around: ったら is mainly the sigh after a name, "honestly, that …", and ってば mainly the push at the end of a sentence.

美み咲さきったら、また財さい布ふを忘わすれてる。

Honestly, Misaki's forgotten her wallet again.

ってN5

って alone can insist too, more lightly.

大だい丈じょう夫ぶだって。心しん配ぱいしすぎだよ。

It's fine, I'm telling you. You worry too much.

Check yourself

1What has probably just happened?

今いま行いくってば。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What is this person doing?

ねえ、由ゆ美みってば！

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

私わたしじゃないってば。ずっとここにいたよ。

I told you, it wasn't me. I was here the whole time.

あと五ご分ふんで着つくってば。先さきに入はいらないで。

I'm telling you, I'll be there in five minutes. Don't go in without me.

もう送おくったってば。受じゅ信しん箱ばこを確かく認にんして。

I told you, I already sent it. Check your inbox.

今日きょうは行いかないってば。明日あしたが早はやいんだ。

I told you, I'm not going today. I have an early start tomorrow.

Compared with similar forms

Sentence endings: ね, よ, かな and the rest