I very often see なんてね or some similar phrase being translated to "Just
kidding"? but why does it mean this and how does the grammar behind it work?
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2017-02-22T08:22:47.807
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grammar set-phrases
Why does　なんてね　mean "Just kidding"?
なんて is an informal word that is used after some phrase and implies it is not
important.

  * [Usage of なんて and なんか as emphasis](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/421/5010)

> Basically when you're kind of ignoring the importance of, or even slightly
> putting down, the topic of the sentence. 愛なんか要らない。(I don't need love!)

  * [など; なんか; なんて](https://web.archive.org/web/20190311201757/http://www.jgram.org/pages/viewOne.php?tagE=nado%3B%20nanka%3B%20nante)

So when なんて is used like a standalone interjection, it means you said the
previous sentence not seriously.

ね is a sentence-end particle and thus optional. You can say なんて! ("kidding!")
without largely changing the meaning. なんてな is the same (sounds a bit more
masculine).
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The verb 言う is omitted after なんて. So you can translate it "saying (something)
like that", or virtually as a subjunctive: "(as if) it be/were like that".
That's why it comes to have "I'm kidding" sense.

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZBF5j.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZBF5j.jpg)
(Left: screen capture of
[逆転裁判5](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%80%86%E8%BB%A2%E8%A3%81%E5%88%A4#.E9.80.86.E8.BB.A2.E8.A3.81.E5.88.A45),
Right: the same cut on its English version, [Dual
Destinies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Wright:_Ace_Attorney_%E2%88%92_Dual_Destinies).)

A synonymous expression is なんちゃって (< なんて言っちゃって). This one also works as a
slangy adjective "pretend", as in なんちゃって家族 "a pretend family".
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"ｘｘｘなんてね"

> 『あんた（あんたは、あなたは）死んだ方がいいよ。』なんてね。  
>  I'd rather you were dead, just kidding.  
>  『あんたは、死んだ方がいいよ。』なんて言ったりしてね。  
>  『あんたは、死んだ方がいいよ』と、本気で言ったりしてね。  
>  『あんたは、死んだ方がいいよ』(Once you said it cleary, then) って本気で言ったと思う？本気じゃないよ、冗談だよ。  
>  "I'd rather you were dead. (Once you said it cleary, then) Can I say it in
> earnest? NOWAY! I'm just saying it in fun."  
>  → I'd rather you were dead, just kidding.

もし、この説明で分かってもらえなかったら、もう僕はこのサイトに回答を投稿しないよ。なんてね。
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