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〜っけ

was it? (trying to remember)

Plain past / だった + っけ · ましたっけ · でしたっけ

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っけ turns a question into "remind me…" or "was it…?": 会議は何時からだったっけ, "what time was the meeting again?" You're searching your memory, and half asking the listener, half asking yourself.

It usually follows a past form, because you're checking something you once knew: だったっけ, 置いたっけ. The polite versions are ましたっけ and でしたっけ: 前にも話しましたっけ, "did I tell you this before?"

Compare よね, which checks that the listener agrees with something you're fairly sure of. っけ admits you've forgotten.

Talking to yourself, it's a mutter: 鍵、どこに置いたっけ, "where did I put my keys?"

Register: Casual, but ましたっけ and でしたっけ are fine in polite speech.

Examples

  • 会議かいぎは何時なんじからだったっけ。

    What time was the meeting again?

  • あの人ひとの名前なまえ、何なんだったっけ?

    What was that person's name again?

  • 明日あしたは休やすみだったっけ?

    Wait, is tomorrow a day off?

  • 鍵かぎ、どこに置おいたっけ。

    Now where did I put my keys?

  • 前まえにも話はなしましたっけ。

    Did I tell you this before?

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