# なんという / なんと / なんて: how (beautiful, etc.); what a ~

> Learn how to use なんという, なんと, and なんて, JLPT N1 expressions meaning how, what a ~, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons.

JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-nan-to-iu-nanto-nante/

**なんという / なんと / なんて** means **how (beautiful, etc.); what a ~**. These are **JLPT N1** Japanese expressions used to add emotional weight to a statement—surprise, admiration, criticism, or sheer intensity.

They turn a plain description into an exclamation. Whether you’re blown away by a sunset, stunned by someone’s luck, or appalled by a mistake, these three forms let you wrap your reaction right into the sentence.

<div class="pullquote">
A single なんて can turn a statement into a heartfelt cry of astonishment.
</div>

## What does なんという / なんと / なんて mean?

Use these expressions when you want to emphasise a quality, quantity, or your own reaction. They function like English *how* or *what a* in exclamations.

Natural translations include:

- how (beautiful), what a (pity), what a …!
- how …! / so …! / such a …!

**なんという** is a modifier that sits before a noun. **なんと** and **なんて** can modify adjectives directly, as well as whole clauses. **なんて** is the most colloquial; **なんと** often carries a slightly more formal or dramatic ring and can also express surprise at a large number or amount.

## How to form なんという / なんと / なんて

<div class="formation">
  <div class="formula">
    <span class="ftoken t-core">なんという</span>
    <span class="fplus">＋</span>
    <span class="ftoken t-stem">Noun</span>
  </div>
  <div class="formula">
    <span class="ftoken t-core">なんと</span>
    <span class="fplus">＋</span>
    <span class="ftoken t-stem">Adjective / Verb phrase</span>
  </div>
  <div class="formula">
    <span class="ftoken t-core">なんて</span>
    <span class="fplus">＋</span>
    <span class="ftoken t-stem">Adjective / Noun / Clause</span>
  </div>
</div>

Examples of each pattern:

- なんという<ruby>美しい<rp>(</rp><rt>うつくしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>景色<rp>(</rp><rt>けしき</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だ
- なんとなく<ruby>不思議<rp>(</rp><rt>ふしぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>な<ruby>話<rp>(</rp><rt>はなし</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だ（Not relevant; I'll use real examples: なんと<ruby>美しい<rp>(</rp><rt>うつくしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>花<rp>(</rp><rt>はな</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だ）
- なんて<ruby>素敵<rp>(</rp><rt>すてき</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なプレゼントなんだ

For the **なんという** pattern, the noun can be modified by an adjective or relative clause, but the expression always attaches to a noun. For **なんと** and **なんて**, they typically pair with an adjective or a descriptive phrase, often ending in だ/なんだ/だろう to complete the exclamation.

## When is なんという / なんと / なんて used?

Use these forms in situations like:

- reacting to something with strong emotion (awe, shock, disappointment)
- describing a quality in an emphatic way
- making casual spoken exclamations
- written dialogue, blogs, or informal narration

Tone and register:

- **なんて** → very common in everyday speech; can sound intimate or slightly rough
- **なんと** → used in both speech and writing; can feel more polished or theatrical
- **なんという** → often seen in thoughtful or evaluative comments, such as reviews or reflections

All three appear in N1 listening and reading sections, where the nuance of the speaker’s tone tips you off to the intended emotion.

## なんという / なんと / なんて example sentences

<div class="examples">

<div class="example">
<div class="example-jp"><span class="furi">何</span>という<span class="furi">幸運</span>だ！</div>
<div class="example-en">What incredible luck!</div>
<div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">admiration</span></div>
</div>

<div class="example">
<div class="example-jp"><ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>と<ruby>美<rp>(</rp><rt>うつく</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>しい<ruby>夕日<rp>(</rp><rt>ゆうひ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だろう。</div>
<div class="example-en">How beautiful this sunset is!</div>
<div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">awe</span></div>
</div>

<div class="example">
<div class="example-jp"><ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>て<ruby>失礼<rp>(</rp><rt>しつれい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>な<ruby>言<rp>(</rp><rt>い</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>い<ruby>方<rp>(</rp><rt>かた</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なんだ。</div>
<div class="example-en">What a rude way to speak!</div>
<div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">indignation</span></div>
</div>

<div class="example">
<div class="example-jp"><ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>という<ruby>努力<rp>(</rp><rt>どりょく</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>の<ruby>末<rp>(</rp><rt>すえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>の<ruby>結果<rp>(</rp><rt>けっか</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だろう。</div>
<div class="example-en">What a result after all that effort!</div>
<div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">amazement + respect</span></div>
</div>

<div class="example">
<div class="example-jp"><ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>と<ruby>多<rp>(</rp><rt>おお</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>くの<ruby>人<rp>(</rp><rt>ひと</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>が<ruby>集<rp>(</rp><rt>あつ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>まったんだ。</div>
<div class="example-en">What a huge crowd gathered! (lit. How many people gathered!)</div>
<div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">surprise at scale</span></div>
</div>

<div class="example">
<div class="example-jp"><ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>て<ruby>馬鹿<rp>(</rp><rt>ばか</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>な<ruby>間違<rp>(</rp><rt>まちが</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>いをしたんだ。</div>
<div class="example-en">What a stupid mistake you made!</div>
<div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">criticism</span></div>
</div>

</div>

Notice how **なんという** always precedes a noun (<ruby>幸運<rp>(</rp><rt>こううん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>, <ruby>結果<rp>(</rp><rt>けっか</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>), while **なんと** and **なんて** often connect directly to an i-adjective or a whole judgement phrase. The choice among them is not just grammatical—it reflects how close the speaker feels to the listener or to the emotion itself.

## Nuance of なんという / なんと / なんて

The shared core is **emotional intensity**, but each form carries its own flavour.

- **なんという** feels explanatory, almost as if you’re searching for the right word. It’s common in reflective remarks (「なんという<ruby>皮肉<rp>(</rp><rt>ひにく</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だろう」—*What irony!*).
- **なんと** can sound grand or dramatic, like a narrator underscoring a moment. It also shows up with numbers to emphasise quantity (「なんと5<ruby>時間<rp>(</rp><rt>じかん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>も<ruby>待っ<rp>(</rp><rt>まっ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>た」—*I waited a whole five hours!*).
- **なんて** is intimate and immediate. It can slip into sarcasm or belittling: 「なんて<ruby>簡単<rp>(</rp><rt>かんたん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>な<ruby>問題<rp>(</rp><rt>もんだい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だ」(What an easy problem!) can be genuine or sneering, depending on tone.

Because **なんて** is so colloquial, it frequently appears with sentence‑final particles like なんだ, だろう, or よ, reinforcing the emotional punch.

<div class="note-callout">
  <div class="note-icon">💡</div>
  <div class="note-body">When you read or hear **なんて**, always check the speaker’s tone. The same sentence can be admiration, disbelief, or outright scorn.</div>
</div>

## なんという / なんと / なんて vs なんて (things like)

Many learners first meet なんて as a casual listing particle meaning *things like* or *such as*. That usage contrasts sharply with the exclamatory なんて, so let’s put them side‑by‑side.

<div class="compare">
  <div class="cmp a">
    <div class="cmp-head">Exclamatory なんて</div>
    <div class="cmp-sub">expresses surprise, judgement, or strong feeling</div>
    <div class="cmp-when">「なんて<ruby>美しい<rp>(</rp><rt>うつくしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>花<rp>(</rp><rt>はな</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>！」</div>
    <div class="cmp-eg">なんて<ruby>素敵<rp>(</rp><rt>すてき</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>な<ruby>人<rp>(</rp><rt>ひと</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なんだ</div>
    <div class="cmp-eg-en">What a wonderful person!</div>
  </div>
  <div class="cmp b">
    <div class="cmp-head">Listing なんて</div>
    <div class="cmp-sub">implies “and things like that”; softens a list</div>
    <div class="cmp-when">「お<ruby>菓子<rp>(</rp><rt>かし</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>やジュースなんてどう？」</div>
    <div class="cmp-eg"><ruby>映画<rp>(</rp><rt>えいが</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>とか<ruby>買い物<rp>(</rp><rt>かいもの</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なんて<ruby>行か<rp>(</rp><rt>いか</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない？</div>
    <div class="cmp-eg-en">Want to go do stuff like a movie or shopping?</div>
  </div>
</div>

The key difference: **exclamatory なんて** anchors an emotional judgement, while **listing なんて** is a vague, non‑committal conjunction. In N1 questions, a sentence that feels flat and just adds items is the listing version; one that practically vibrates with feeling is the exclamation.

## Common mistakes with なんという / なんと / なんて

<div class="mistakes">

<div class="mistake">
<div class="mline bad">
<span class="mark bad">❌</span>
<div class="mline-body">なんという<ruby>美しい<rp>(</rp><rt>うつくしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>！</div>
</div>
<div class="mline good">
<span class="mark good">✅</span>
<div class="mline-body">なんという<ruby>美しい<rp>(</rp><rt>うつくしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><strong><ruby>花<rp>(</rp><rt>はな</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby></strong>だ！</div>
</div>
<div class="note">なんという requires a noun—it modifies something. Don’t let it dangle.</div>
</div>

<div class="mistake">
<div class="mline bad">
<span class="mark bad">❌</span>
<div class="mline-body">（in a formal report）なんて<ruby>大きな<rp>(</rp><rt>おおきな</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>問題<rp>(</rp><rt>もんだい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>です。</div>
</div>
<div class="mline good">
<span class="mark good">✅</span>
<div class="mline-body">（in speech）なんて<ruby>大きな<rp>(</rp><rt>おおきな</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>問題<rp>(</rp><rt>もんだい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なんだ！</div>
</div>
<div class="note">なんて is too casual for most formal writing. Reserve it for spoken lines, dialogue, or informal blogs.</div>
</div>

<div class="mistake">
<div class="mline bad">
<span class="mark bad">❌</span>
<div class="mline-body">なんとおいしい！（no なんだ/だろう）</div>
</div>
<div class="mline good">
<span class="mark good">✅</span>
<div class="mline-body">なんとおいしいんだ！</div>
</div>
<div class="note">While なんと can stand alone in very dramatic exclamations, adding なんだ or だろう makes the sentence feel complete in most natural Japanese.</div>
</div>

</div>

## Is なんという / なんと / なんて on the JLPT?

<div class="jlpt-card">
  <div class="jlpt-shield">N1</div>
  <div class="jlpt-info">
    <p>Yes. These exclamation forms appear in N1 listening and reading passages where the speaker’s attitude matters.</p>
    <div class="jlpt-checks">
      <div>✔ recognise the nuance in context</div>
      <div>✔ understand emotional shading in dialogues</div>
      <div>✔ not confused by the listing なんて</div>
    </div>
    <p>Expect questions that ask “How does the speaker feel?” or “Which word best matches the tone?” The grammar itself won’t be tested in isolation; your ability to read the emotion behind it will be.</p>
  </div>
</div>

## Practice questions for なんという / なんと / なんて

<div class="prompts">

<div class="prompt">
<div class="prompt-num">1</div>
<div class="prompt-text">Write a sentence with <strong>なんて</strong> expressing genuine admiration for something you saw today.</div>
<div class="prompt-tag">admiration</div>
</div>

<div class="prompt">
<div class="prompt-num">2</div>
<div class="prompt-text">Rewrite that sentence using <strong>なんと</strong>. Does the tone shift? Describe the difference in a sentence or two.</div>
<div class="prompt-tag">compare&nbsp;forms</div>
</div>

<div class="prompt">
<div class="prompt-num">3</div>
<div class="prompt-text">Create a line of critical dialogue where <strong>なんて</strong> carries a note of scorn.</div>
<div class="prompt-tag">sarcasm</div>
</div>

<div class="prompt">
<div class="prompt-num">4</div>
<div class="prompt-text">Use <strong>なんという</strong> to comment on a character’s decision in a story you know.</div>
<div class="prompt-tag">reflective</div>
</div>

<div class="prompt">
<div class="prompt-num">5</div>
<div class="prompt-text">Listen for an exclamation in an anime or drama. Write it down and identify which of the three patterns you heard.</div>
<div class="prompt-tag">real‑world&nbsp;practice</div>
</div>

</div>

## Learning path for なんという / なんと / なんて

<div class="path">

<div class="path-step">
<div class="step-num">1</div>
<div class="step-body"><strong>Nail the formations.</strong> Drill the difference: なんという + Noun, なんと + Adjective/Verb phrase, なんて + Adjective/Noun/Clause. Write one correct example of each without checking notes.</div>
</div>

<div class="path-step">
<div class="step-num">2</div>
<div class="step-body"><strong>Separate the two なんてs.</strong> Find five sentences where なんて appears. Decide whether it’s the exclamation or the listing usage. This will sharpen your reading speed on the test.</div>
</div>

<div class="path-step">
<div class="step-num">3</div>
<div class="step-body"><strong>Play with tone.</strong> Take an exclamation like 「なんてきれいなんだ！」 and vary the context—whisper it alone in a park, say it to a friend, imagine a narrator reading it. Notice how the emotional weight stays, but the flavour changes.</div>
</div>

<div class="path-step">
<div class="step-num">4</div>
<div class="step-body"><strong>Pair with related N1 patterns.</strong> Study the grammar below. Many of them also deal with emphasis, contrast, or absence, which will reinforce the instinct for nuance that なんて demands.</div>
</div>

</div>

## Related grammar to review next

- [なにしろ](/blog/n1-nani-shiro/) — because both express strong speaker focus, though なにしろ emphasises a cause.
- [なみ](/blog/n1-nami/) — because なみ also intensifies a description (“as much as” / “on par with”), often carrying an emotional overtone.
- [ならでは](/blog/n1-nara-dewa/) — because ならでは highlights unique qualities, much like なんて can spotlight an exceptional trait.
- [なくしては](/blog/n1-nakushite-wa/) — because this pattern, too, heightens a statement by underlining what is essential, a similar dramatic impulse.

## Learn なんという / なんと / なんて with Hane

If you want to practise these exclamations alongside the patterns that build emotional nuance, Hane helps you drill Japanese in short, focused sessions. The app adapts to your level and keeps you in contact with real, expressive language.

Browse more lessons here:

- [All grammar lessons](/blog/)
- [JLPT N1 grammar lessons](/blog/n1/)