JLPT N3Spoken, casualTrying to recall

っけwhat was it again?

You knew this once, or someone told you, and now it won't come back. っけ is the "again" in "what was her name again?".

to yourself

鍵かぎをどこに置おいたっけ。

Where did I put my keys again?

checking

次つぎの会かい議ぎは月げつ曜よう日びだっけ。

Was the next meeting on Monday? I can't remember.

politely

あの方かたのお名な前まえは何なんでしたっけ。

What was that person's name again?

How to form it

Plain past + っけ・ Noun／な-adjective + だっけ・ Plain non-past + んだっけ

置おいたっけ, 高たかかったっけ, 何なんだっけ, 行いくんだっけ. Polite: でしたっけ, ましたっけ.

Said to: Yourself, or someone who would know. In its polite forms, to anyone you chat with, a boss included.
Tone: Friendly. It admits you have forgotten something you were told or once knew.
Things people say: 何なんだっけ (what was it again?), 誰だれだっけ, いつだっけ, 言いわなかったっけ (didn't I say?), 〜じゃなかったっけ (wasn't it…?).
Where you'll meet it: Conversation, talking to yourself, text messages. Not formal writing.

In use

あの店みせ、何なん時じに閉しまるんだっけ。

What time does that shop close again?

来らい週しゅう引ひっ越こすって、言いわなかったっけ。

Didn't I tell you I'm moving next week?

今日きょう、休やすみじゃなかったっけ。

Wasn't today your day off?

A

明日あしたの集しゅう合ごう、九く時じだっけ？

Was it nine we're meeting tomorrow?

B

ううん、九く時じ半はんだよ。

No, nine thirty.

Two things to know

The た isn't about time

明日あしただったっけ is fine. What is past is the moment you knew. English does the same: "when was the meeting again?", about next week.

A question, or just thinking?

Said to yourself, it needs no answer. Said with your eyes on someone, it asks them to remind you. Either way it is about something you once knew, so it isn't for asking something new.

Sounds odd: すみません、駅えきはどこでしたっけ。

Excuse me, where was the station again?

To a stranger, this says you once knew the way. The plain question is 駅えきはどこですか.

っけ or かな?

明日あした、雨あめかな。

I wonder if it will rain tomorrow.

Wondering. Nobody knows yet.

明日あした、雨あめだっけ。

Was it supposed to rain tomorrow?

Recalling. You saw the forecast and can't remember what it said.

Close neighbours

かなN4

"I wonder", with no memory to search.

この新あたらしい店みせ、おいしいかな。

I wonder if this new place is good.

でしょうN5

"…, right?" You think you know, and want a yes. With っけ you have forgotten.

試し験けんは来らい週しゅうでしょう？

The test is next week, right?

Check yourself

1What does っけ tell you here?

明日あしたのテスト、何なん時じからだっけ。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

田た中なかさんの誕たん生じょう日び、いつ（　　）。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

さっき窓まどを閉しめたっけ。

Did I shut the window just now? I can't remember.

この薬くすり、食しょく後ごに飲のむんだっけ。

Was I supposed to take this medicine after meals?

約やく束そくしたのは三さん時じだっけ、四よ時じだっけ。

Did we say three, or was it four?

前まえに来きた店みせ、ここだっけ。

Was this the place we came to before?

前ぜん回かいはどの資し料りょうを使つかいましたっけ。

Which materials did we use last time again?

Compared with similar forms

Sentence endings: ね, よ, かな and the rest