Translation and Meaning of: 何て - nante
On this page, we will study the meaning of the Japanese word 何て (nante) and its translation into English. Let's see their different meanings, example phrases, explanations, etymology and the similar words.
Romaji: nante
Kana: なんて
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1
Translation / Meaning: like what...!
Meaning in English: how...!;what...!
Definition: What: A word referring to something. An interrogative word used to ask about something or a situation.
Sumário
- Etymology
- Vocabulary
- Writing
- Phrases
Explanation and Etymology - (何て) nante
The expression 「何て」 (nante) is used in the Japanese language as a way to express surprise, appreciation, or disdain regarding something mentioned earlier. This word has a quite flexible use and can appear in various situations, from expressing astonishment to functioning as a connector in more complex sentences.
Etymologically, 「何て」 combines the kanji 「何」 (nani), which means "what," with the particle 「て」 (te), which in this context serves to connect the main expression to the speaker's feeling. Radicals associated with 「何」 include elements such as "person" and "interrogative," promoting the idea of questioning or astonishment. The combination of these elements aims to intensify the emotion or characteristic of what is being commented on.
In practice, we find 「何て」 inserted in sentences to emphasize characteristics or events emphatically. Common examples would be in the expression of emotions such as surprise or fascination, as seen in everyday situations. The expression is also similar to something like "what" or "like" in other languages, facilitating the construction of sentences that emphasize the generated content. It's worth highlighting variations such as "何てこと" (nante koto), which reinforce an even stronger feeling of astonishment!
Historically, similar words to 「何て」 emerged in ancient Japanese, when the language was evolving to incorporate expressive forms that reflected the culture and social hierarchy of the time. This evolution was driven by the need for more effective communication, integrating emotional nuances in both everyday and formal speech. Today, 「何て」 continues to represent a strong emotional touch in the language, facilitating expressions of surprise and admiration in social interactions.
Synonyms and similar words
- 何と (nanto) - How; what; what (used to express surprise or admiration)
- なんて (nante) - How; what; what (used to belittle or express disbelief)
- なにて (nanite) - What; used in a context of questioning or doubt.
Words related
Words with the same pronunciation: なんて nante
How to Write in Japanese - (何て) nante
See below a step-by-step guide on how to write the word by hand in Japanese (何て) nante:
Example Sentences - (何て) nante
Below are some example sentences:
Kono buttai wa nan desu ka?
What is this object?
What is this object?
- この - demonstrative pronoun meaning "this"
- 物体 - noun meaning "object" or "body"
- は - particle that marks the topic of the sentence
- 何 - interrogative pronoun meaning "what"
- です - verb "to be" in polite form
- か - interrogative particle indicating a question
Korera wa nan desu ka?
What are these?
Who are they?
- これら - demonstrative pronoun that means "these"
- は - topic particle
- 何 - interrogative pronoun meaning "what"
- です - verb "to be" in polite form
- か - interrogative particle indicating a question
Kyō no kondate wa nan desu ka?
What is today's menu?
- 今日の - today
- 献立 - menu
- は - topic particle
- 何 - what
- ですか - é?
Nande sonna koto wo suru no?
Why are you doing this?
Why did you do that?
- 何で - "why"
- そんな - "thus"
- こと - "thing"
- を - direct object particle
- する - "fazer"
- の - End of sentence particle
Nandemo dekiru
I can do anything.
You can do anything.
- 何でも - anything
- できる - can be done
Nante subarashii sekai darou!
What a wonderful World!
- 何て - adverb that indicates surprise or admiration
- 素晴らしい - adjective that means wonderful or splendid
- 世界 - noun that means world or universe
- だろう - particle that indicates assumption or probability
- ！ - exclamation sign
Betsu ni nandemo nai
It's nothing in particular.
Nothing separately.
- 別に - "it's nothing in particular"
- 何でも - "anything"
- ない - "does not exist"
Gen'in wa nan desu ka?
What is the cause?
What is the reason?
- 原因 - means "cause" in Japanese.
- は - is a topic particle in Japanese, which indicates the subject of the sentence.
- 何 - means "what" in Japanese.
- です - is a polite way of saying "is" in Japanese.
- か - is an interrogative particle in Japanese, which indicates a question.
Moshigagaru mono wa nan desu ka?
What would you like to eat?
What are you eaten?
- 召し上がる - verb that means "to eat" or "to drink" in Japanese
- もの - noun that means "thing" or "item"
- は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "what"
- 何 - interrogative pronoun meaning "what"
- です - verb "to be" in polite form
- か - particle that indicates a question
Namae wa nan desu ka?
What is your name?
What is your name?
- 名前 - means "name" in Japanese
- は - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
- 何 - means "what" or "which" in Japanese
- です - is a polite way of saying "to be" or "to be" in Japanese
- か - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates a question
Other words of the same type: noun
See other words from our dictionary that are also: noun
