<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-07-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001373707</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TETRAPHASE PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TTPH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001296998</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Macdonald Guy</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TETRAPHASE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>480 ARSENAL WAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WATERTOWN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02472</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-07-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>U</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15703.4</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the terms of that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 24, 2020, by and among Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals, Inc., TTP Merger Sub, Inc. and La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;), these shares were tendered and disposed of at the Acceptance Time (all terms capitalized but not defined shall have the meaning given to them in the Merger Agreement) in exchange for the right to receive (i) 2.00 per Share (the &quot;Cash Consideration&quot;), to the holder in cash, without interest and less any applicable withholding taxes, plus (ii) one non-transferable contractual contingent value right per Share (a &quot;CVR&quot;) representing the right to receive certain consideration based on the achievement of net sales milestones.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Maria Stahl, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-07-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
