Japanese word

だって

Pronunciation

Romajidatte

Meaning

  • conjunctionbecause

Example

「どうして休むのですか」「だって、熱があります」。dō shi te yasu mu no de su ka da tte netsu ga a ri ma su

Why are you taking the day off? Because I have a fever.

Illustration for だって (because)

More examples

その映画は見ません、だって長すぎます。so no ei ga wa mi ma se n da tte naga su gi ma su

I will not watch that movie because it is too long.

Core concept

Marks the following statement as the speaker's reason or justification, often with a conversational tone.

Similar words

というのはtoiunowa: Begins an explanation of why a preceding statement is true.
なぜならnazenara: Presents a reason that explains a statement, usually in a direct explanatory manner.
というのもtoiunomo: Adds a reason or explanation for a statement that has just been made.

Definition in Japanese

理由や根拠を示して、そうであることを述べる語。ri yū ya kon kyo o shime shi te sō de a ru ko to o no be ru go

Word origin

The conjunction だって (datte, "because") is a colloquial form related to だとて (datote), with とて (tote, "even if or although") reduced to って (tte).

Usage tips

  • In conversational Japanese, だって (datte) often introduces a speaker's reason as an excuse or protest, so it can sound more emotional than neutral から (kara).

Other meanings

  • after allconjunction
  • butconjunction

Word lists with this word