Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
Even if; even though; no matter how/what.
🎯 Primary Function
To introduce a counter-conditional clause, expressing that the main clause’s action/state will hold true regardless of the condition mentioned. It is a casual contraction of 「ても」 or 「たとしても」.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (た-form) + って
い-adj (く-form) + たって
な-adj (Stem) + だって
V-ない-form (stem) + くたって / Adj-な-くたって
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Avoid using. Use 「としても」 or 「ても」 instead.
Informal Situations
Very common and natural. Used frequently with friends and family.
Written Language
Rarely used, confined mostly to dialogue in casual texts, manga, or social media.
Spoken Language
Highly frequent. It is the preferred casual form of the counter-conditional.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing Determination/Resolution
Used to emphasize one’s resolve to proceed with an action, regardless of opposition or obstacles.
Example: 誰に反対されたって、やるつもりだ。
Highlighting Insignificance of a Condition
Indicates that the condition introduced (e.g., hurrying) will not change the inevitable or predetermined result (e.g., missing the deadline).
Example: 急いだ**って**、もう間に合わないよ。
Noun/Na-Adjective Usage (as だって)
When following a noun or na-adjective, it takes the form 「だ**って**」, functioning identically to 「でも」 or 「だとしても」.
Example: 嘘**だって**、信じるしかない。
Frequency
High in casual speech; Low in formal writing.
Difficulty
N3-N2 (Advanced Casual/Spoken)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
今謝ったって、もう遅いよ。
Furigana: いま あやまっても、もう おそいよ。
Romaji: Ima ayamatta tatte, mō osoi yo.
English: Even if you apologize now, it’s too late.
Example #2
いくら食べたって、太らない。羨ましいね。
Furigana: いくら たべたって、ふとらない。うらやましいね。
Romaji: Ikura tabeta tatte, futoranai. Urayamashii ne.
English: No matter how much you eat, you don’t get fat. That’s enviable.
Example #3
旅行が安くたって、つまらないなら行かない。
Furigana: りょこうが やすくたって、つまらないなら いかない。
Romaji: Ryokō ga yasuku tatte, tsumaranai nara ikanai.
English: Even if the trip is cheap, I won’t go if it’s boring.
Example #4
こんなに勉強したって、試験に落ちるかもしれない。
Furigana: こんなに べんきょうしたって、しけんに おちるかも しれない。
Romaji: Konna ni benkyō shita tatte, shiken ni ochiru kamo shirenai.
English: Even if you study this hard, you might still fail the exam.
Example #5
雨だ**って**、予定通り公園に行く。
Furigana: あめだ**って**、よていどおり こうえんに いく。
Romaji: Ame da tatte, yotei dōri kōen ni iku.
English: Even if it’s raining, we’re going to the park as planned.
Example #6
何度試みたって、成功しない。
Furigana: なんど こころみたって、せいこうしない。
Romaji: Nando kokoromita tatte, seikō shinai.
English: No matter how many times I try, I can’t succeed.
Example #7
不便だ**って**、今は我慢しなければならない。
Furigana: ふべんだ**って**、いまは がまん しなければならない。
Romaji: Fuben da tatte, ima wa gaman shinakereba naranai.
English: Even if it’s uncomfortable, you have to endure it for now.
Example #8
美味しくな**くたって**、全部食べなさい。
Furigana: おいしくな**くたって**、ぜんぶ たべなさい。
Romaji: Oishiku naku tatte, zenbu tabenasai.
English: Even if it’s not tasty, you have to eat it all.
Example #9
彼に嫌われた**って**、私はまだ好きだ。
Furigana: かれに きらわれた**って**、わたしは まだ すきだ。
Romaji: Kare ni kirawareta tatte, watashi wa mada suki da.
English: Even if he says he hates me, I still like him.
Example #10
夢だ**って**、この瞬間に目覚めたくない。
Furigana: ゆめだ**って**、この しゅんかんにめざめたくない。
Romaji: Yume da tatte, kono shunkan ni mezametakunai.
English: Even if it’s a dream, I don’t want to wake up from this moment.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Contraction of 「ても」 or 「たとしても」
「たって」 is a contracted form, specifically of 「たとしても」 or 「ても」. It carries a strong connotation of colloquialism.
Example: 急いだ**って**、もう間に合わない。 (Even if we hurry…)
Implies “No matter how…”
The meaning often implies “no matter how [condition],” adding intensity to the counter-conditional statement compared to a simple 「ても」.
Example: こんなに寒**くたって**、外で遊びたい。
Dual Usage of 「だ**って**」 (Even/Too)
Note that 「だ**って**」 also has a secondary meaning of “even/too” when following a noun or pronoun, often used to express a complaint or justification. This is a separate, though related, usage.
Example: 私**だって**、人間だ。
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 上司に「この企画書は複雑だ**って**、提出します」と言う。
✅ 友達に「遅刻したって大丈夫だよ」と言う。
Using 「たって」 in formal settings is inappropriate. It must be substituted with 「ても」 or 「たとしても」 for polite conversations.
❌ 日曜日**って**、仕事は休めない。
✅ お金がなくても、幸せになれる。
While grammatically possible to attach directly to nouns/na-adjectives with just 「って」, the more standard and common casual form is 「だ**って**」.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Very low (Casual/Slang)
Social Situations: Used among close friends, family, or when speaking about oneself in an informal internal monologue. Never use with superiors or strangers.
Regional Variations: Widely used across Japan in casual speech, although regional dialects might have slight variations (e.g., use of different casual counter-conditionals).
🔍 Subtle Differences
たって vs. ても
「たって」 is highly casual and often carries a stronger, more emphatic tone of inevitability or frustration. 「ても」 is neutral and acceptable in both casual and slightly more polite speech.
When to use: Use 「たって」 when speaking casually with friends. Use 「ても」 when the situation is slightly less informal or when you want a more standard expression.
たって vs. としても
「としても」 is a more formal and clearly hypothetical expression (“even assuming that…”). 「たって」 is a casual contraction of this, focusing more on the practical counter-condition.
When to use: Use 「としても」 in written reports or structured arguments. Use 「たって」 only in conversation.
📝 Conjugation Notes
The particle 「って」 is attached to the *ta-form* (past tense) of verbs, and the *ku-form* of i-adjectives. For nouns and na-adjectives, the copula 「だ」 is necessary, resulting in 「だ**って**」.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounce 「たって」 quickly, with a slight emphasis on the first ‘t’. It should flow naturally from the preceding verb/adjective stem. The sound is often indistinguishable from 「だって」 in speech, depending on the preceding word.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of 「たって」 as the ‘ta-form’ (past action/condition) plus the casual particle 「って」 (which often marks a quote or emphasis). Remember: Ta-form + tte = Even If (casual).
Other Grammar
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