What was it again?: 〜っけ

〜っけ is used to check a memory you're no longer sure of: “what time was it again?”. You can say it to someone, or to yourself while searching your memory. In the past, it can also call up a memory with nostalgia. It's a spoken form.

• 会議は何時だっけ？かいぎはなんじだっけ？What time's the meeting again?
• あれ、鍵、どこに置いたっけ。あれ、かぎ、どこにおいたっけ。Hmm, where did I put my keys?
• すみません、お名前は何でしたっけ？すみません、おなまえはなんでしたっけ？Excuse me, what was your name again?

〜っけ is English “again?” in “what was it again?”, or a tag like “wasn't it?”. You knew, but you've forgotten, and you're asking for confirmation. Even when nobody's there to answer, you say it while searching your memory.

• この店、前にも来たっけ？このみせ、まえにもきたっけ？Have we been to this restaurant before?

〜っけ mostly attaches to だ, だった and た-forms. For a verb in the present, go through 〜んだっけ. Politely: 〜でしたっけ, 〜ましたっけ.

• 明日って、休みだったっけ？あしたって、やすみだったっけ？Tomorrow's a holiday, isn't it?
• 田中さんって、たばこ吸うんだっけ？たなかさんって、たばこすうんだっけ？Tanaka smokes, doesn't he?

In the past, with a falling tone, 〜たっけ can call up a distant memory with emotion: “how we used to play here, back then…”. You're not asking a question; you're remembering out loud.

• 子どものころ、よくこの川で遊んだっけ。こどものころ、よくこのかわであそんだっけ。When I was little, I used to play in this river so often…

〜っけ is spoken. With friends: だっけ, たっけ. With a colleague or a customer, the polite でしたっけ is acceptable in conversation, but not in an email: in writing, ask directly (会議は何時からでしょうか).

• すみません、会議は何時からでしょうか。すみません、かいぎはなんじからでしょうか。Excuse me, what time does the meeting start? (written, very polite)