JLPT N3Spoken, casualBelittling or amazed

なんて・なんかthe likes of; to think that…

After a noun, both wave the thing away: "the likes of", "a … like that". After a whole sentence, なんて alone says you can hardly believe it: "to think that…". Both belong to conversation.

waving it away

そんな本ほんなんて読よまないよ。

I wouldn't read a book like that.

being modest

私わたしなんて、運うんがよかっただけです。

Me? I just got lucky.

hard to believe

彼かの女じょが一人ひとりで会かい社しゃを立たち上あげたなんて、驚おどろいた。

I was amazed that she had started a company on her own.

After a noun

Noun + なんて／なんか

が, を and は usually drop out. A particle such as に or と can follow なんか, but not なんて: 私わたしなんかに.

After a sentence

Plain form + なんて

合ごう格かくするなんて, 負まけたなんて, 嘘うそだなんて. なんか can't follow a sentence.

After a noun: the likes of

The thing named isn't worth your time, your money or your worry. About yourself it is modest. About someone else it is a put-down, and rude to their face.

この古ふるい時計とけいなんかに、十じゅう万まん円えんも払はらったの？

You paid a hundred thousand yen for an old watch like this?

あの新しん人じんなんか、まだ相あい手てにならないよ。

That new guy? He's no competition yet.

私わたしなんかにリーダーが務つとまるでしょうか。

Could someone like me really manage as leader?

With nothing after it, either word will do. Once a particle follows, it has to be なんか.

あんな人ひとなんかに負まけたくない。

I don't want to lose to someone like that.

Not said: あんな人ひとなんてに負まけたくない。

(I don't want to lose to someone like that.)

After a sentence: なんて only

Something has happened, or you have just been told, and it is hard to take in. The feeling comes next: surprise, delight, dismay. Often it is left unsaid, and the sentence stops at なんて.

彼かれが合ごう格かくするなんて、思おもわなかった。

I never thought he would pass.

あなたが来きてくれるなんて、本ほん当とうにうれしい。

I'm so happy that you'd come.

こんな簡かん単たんなミスをするなんて、自じ分ぶんでも情なさけない。

To make such a simple mistake! I'm ashamed of myself.

まさか、試し験けんが中ちゅう止しになるなんて！

I can't believe the exam has been canceled!

やめるなんて言いわないで。

Don't talk about quitting.

Before 言いう or 思おもう, なんて stands in for と.

A flat denial: 怖こわくなんかない

Inside a negative, なんか is "not at all", to deny what was just said about you. 怖こわくなんてない is the same.

怖こわくなんかないよ。

I'm not scared. Not one bit.

The other なんて: what a…, what?

At the start of a phrase, なんて is a different word, the spoken 何なんと: "what a…", "how…", or plain "what".

なんてきれいな空そらだろう。

What a beautiful sky.

今いま、なんて言いったの？

What did you just say?

Close neighbours

など・なんかN4

なんか with no feeling in it: "or something", and the filler "somehow", which is never なんて.

コーヒーなんかどう？

How about a coffee or something?

とはN2

The amazed なんて in written style.

彼かれが約やく束そくを破やぶるとは、どうしても信しんじられない。

I simply cannot believe that he would break his promise.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

彼かの女じょが先さきに帰かえった（　　）、知しらなかった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What is the person saying?

一人ひとりで全ぜん部ぶ食たべちゃうなんて。

Choose an answer to see why.

3Which one fits?

あいつ（　　）と一いっ緒しょに行いきたくない。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

勉べん強きょうなんて大だい嫌きらいだ。

Studying? I hate it.

あなたに会あえるなんて、夢ゆめみたい。

Getting to meet you… it's like a dream.

嘘うそだなんて思おもっていないよ。

I don't think it's a lie or anything.