というcalled; named
という introduces a name the other person may not know: "a cafe called Aozora", "someone named Sato". The name comes first and the kind of thing comes last, the reverse of English.
There is a cafe called Aozora in front of the station.
Do you know the word "mottainai"?
How to form it
Name + という + kind of thing
The kind of thing is an ordinary noun: 人, 店, 町, 本, 映画, 言葉. いう is the verb 言う, "say". Here it is usually written in hiragana, and it sounds like "yuu".
In conversation
Name + って／っていう + kind of thing
To ask
何という + kind of thing
何という映画ですか: "What is the film called?"
The name first, the kind of thing last
On my trip, I stayed at a hotel called Umikaze.
Yesterday, I watched a film titled The Road to the Moon.
『 』 marks a title, 「 」 a name or a word.
Please write the kanji for "tree".
With 言葉, 字 or 漢字 it points at a word or a character itself. English has no "called" here.
When you need it, and when you don't
という says the name may be new: the other person doesn't know it, or you don't know the person or place well yourself. With a name you both know, it is usually left out.
There was a phone call from Sato.
You both know who Sato is.
There was a phone call from a person named Sato.
A stranger to you, or to the person you are telling.
Sounds odd: 富士山と
I climbed a mountain called Mt. Fuji.
Said to someone in Japan, it sounds as if they might never have heard of Mt. Fuji. Just 富士山に登りました.
So it is the natural way to bring up a person or a place from your own life.
I'm from a town called Banff in Canada.
Asking the name: 何という
What is this dish called?
It's called okonomiyaki.
At the end of a sentence, といいます is "is called".
What do you call this in Japanese?
The question for a word you don't know yet.
といいます is also a polite way to give your own name.
Nice to meet you. My name is Lin.
With friends: って
In casual talk という shrinks to っていう, or just って.
There's a coffee shop called Komorebi near the station.
Do you know someone named Tanaka?
Have you seen a film called The Road to the Moon?
Close neighbours
After a whole sentence, という doesn't give a name. The sentence is what the notice, rumor or idea says.
There is a notice at the entrance saying that reservations are required.
と言うN5
As a real verb, と言いました is "said". What the person said comes before と.
The teacher said, "Tomorrow is a day off."
といいます gives the name itself; と呼ぶ, the name people use, often a nickname.
Please call me Ken.
ってN5
With no kind of thing after it, って brings something up to talk about, like a casual は.
This shop opens early in the morning, doesn't it?
という意味N4
"It means…". To ask what a word or a sign means: どういう意味ですか.
This sign means that cards cannot be used.
Check yourself
1"There is a bakery called Kitakaze by the river."
Choose an answer to see why.
2What does という人 tell you here?
昨日、
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
と申します
At an interview or with a customer, people give their name with と申します, the humble form of といいます.
My name is Tanaka.
More sentences
A student named Mina showed me around.
I am reading a novel titled The Star Garden.
This is a poster for an event called Morning Market.
This flower is called "snowdrop."