～なんて
such a thing as / what
～なんて attaches to a noun or a plain clause and colors it with the speaker's emotion, usually dismissal (“something like ...”) or surprise (“to think that ...!”). It often replaces the particles は or を.
English equivalents include “something like”, “such a thing as”, or an exclamation like “to think that ...!”. It belongs to casual speech.
1. Dismissing or belittling something
Before a noun, なんて treats it as unimportant, unpleasant, or not worth taking seriously.
勉強なんてしたくない。
“I don't want to do something like studying.”
- 勉強（べんきょう）= studying
- なんて = something like (dismissive)
- したくない = don't want to do
2. Surprise or disbelief about a whole clause
After a plain clause, なんて presents the event as something unexpected or hard to believe.
ここで友達に会うなんて、びっくりした。
“What a surprise to run into a friend here!”
- ここで = here (で = place of action)
- 友達（ともだち）= friend
- に = target of 会う (meet with)
- 会う（あう）= to meet, to run into
- なんて = (to think) such a thing as
- びっくりした = was surprised
Unlike ～って, which marks a topic or quote neutrally, なんて always adds an emotional charge.
How to form it
Noun + なんて or plain clause + なんて (it usually replaces は or を)
- 勉強（べんきょう）= studying → 勉強なんて（べんきょうなんて）= something like studying
- 泣く（なく）= to cry → 泣くなんて（なくなんて）= (the very idea of) crying
- テスト = test → テストなんて = a mere test
Key idea
なんて does not change the facts of the sentence, it broadcasts how the speaker feels about them: “studying? ugh” or “he came? no way!”.
Other N3 grammar
Updated .