Here is a start.. Export["test.txt", "a1,b1,c1,d1,\"e1\ne1\ne1\"\na2,b2,\"c2\nc2\nc2\",d2,e2"] i = 0; StringSplit[StringJoin[#], ","] & /@ Split[Characters[Import["test.txt", "Text"]], (If[# == "\"", ++i]; ! (# == "\n" && EvenQ[i]) ) &] Note this will break if there are commas within quoted strings. Edit: a bit more elegant..and this takes care of the comma-within-quotes issue. stringsplitnoquote[string_String, d_String /; StringLength[d] == 1] := Module[{i = 1}, StringSplit[ string, _?((If[# == "\"", i *= -1]; i == 1 && # == d) &)]] stringsplitnoquote[#, ","] & /@ stringsplitnoquote[ Import["test.txt", "Text"] , "\n"] Due credit.. borrowed from here : http://mathematica.stackexchange.com/a/103030/2079