How do you know when to use と or って?

Use と when you are quoting speech or text in a standard or formal context. Use って when you are casually quoting hearsay or introducing a topic in spoken Japanese.

JLPT Grammar Comparison

と vs って (quotation)

All comparisons

How to tell them apart

と is the neutral, standard quotation marker used in both speech and writing to report what someone says or what a text states, as in トムは行きたいと言っている. って is a casual spoken form that either quotes hearsay in informal conversation or introduces a topic for comment, as in 外国で暮らすって難しいね. The deciding factor is register and function: use と in formal or written contexts with explicit reporting verbs, and use って only in casual speech where you are introducing a topic or relaying hearsay without a reporting verb. Swapping them in writing—using って in a formal sentence—sounds unnatural, and using と in casual conversation can feel stiff.

と Use と when you are quoting speech or text in a standard or formal context.
って Use って when you are casually quoting hearsay or introducing a topic in spoken Japanese.

Grammar point	Meaning	JLPT level
と to	Particle for quoting speech or thought, and for sounds or manner	N5
って tte	Informal way of quoting speech or thoughts	N4

と to

Particle for quoting speech or thought, and for sounds or manner

The particle と marks quoted speech or thought, placed after the quote (often in 「」) before verbs like 言う or 思う. It can also express sounds or manner. It follows a quote, which may be a sentence in plain form.

「どうかしたの？」と小ちいさな白しろいウサギが聞ききました。

"What's the matter?" asked the little white rabbit.
それで何をしようとしているの？

And what are we going to do?

Full と grammar page →

って tte

Informal way of quoting speech or thoughts

って is the casual, spoken version of the quotation particle と, marking what someone says or thinks, and it can also mark a topic like は or というのは. It follows plain-form sentences, quotes, or nouns, giving a conversational tone as in テニスウェアって or って言う.

だからって・・・なにもひっぱたくことないじゃないか。

Even so ... she didn't have to slap me!
テニスウェアってなんでミニスカートなのかしら？

I wonder why tennis is played in mini-skirts.

Full って grammar page →

と and って are JLPT N5–N4 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.