Japanese with Manga

Calling into a dropped phone with 〜ってば

Grammar Explanation: Insisting with 〜ってば

A cell phone lies on the seat of an empty car. A speech balloon comes from the phone.
名探偵コナン » Volume 32 » Page 182

Yumi phones Takagi to ask whether he saw her message about Sato’s arranged-marriage meeting. Before he can answer, a convenience store robber runs past, and Takagi drops the phone in the car to chase him with Chiba. Still on the line, Yumi calls to him, but nobody answers.

由美(ゆみ):
「高木(たかぎ)君(くん)ってば！」
“Takagi! Hello?!”

Key Points

1Calling again with name ＋ ってば
  • Yumi’s first call is ちょっと高木(たかぎ)君(くん)？. When nothing comes back, she calls 高木(たかぎ)君(くん)ってば！
  • ってば after a name is a call, not a statement. Nothing has to follow it.
2君(くん) for a man
  • 君(くん) is the suffix for boys and young men, and for juniors or colleagues the speaker is close to. Yumi uses it for Takagi, a detective about her age.

Vocabulary

(You)

君(きみ) is a word for “you” used toward equals or people younger or of lower standing. It sounds gentle or poetic. Read くん, it is a suffix on names.

See Also

名探偵コナン © its respective creators. It is used here for educational commentary.