〜だけあって / 〜だけに — JLPT N2 Grammar
Learn 〜だけあって and 〜だけに to express outcomes that match or are expected given a particular quality or background.
Pattern
〜だけあって / 〜だけに (dake atte / dake ni)
Structure
- Noun + だけあって / だけに
- Verb (plain form) + だけあって / だけに
- I-adjective + だけあって / だけに
- Na-adjective + な + だけあって / だけに
Formality Level
Neutral to formal — used in both spoken and written Japanese. More common in formal writing and reviews.
Meanings
〜だけあって: "As befitting X," "as one would expect given X." The outcome is positive and matches the impressive or recognized quality of X. The basis (X) is always an outstanding or notable quality. The outcome confirms the expectation.
〜だけに: Slightly broader — can express:
- A positive expected outcome: "precisely because of X [positive quality], Y is especially good"
- A natural or regrettable consequence: "precisely because of X, Y is the natural/unfortunate result"
Key rule for だけあって: The basis must be a POSITIVE quality, achievement, or impressive fact. Do not use for negative qualities.
Examples — だけあって (positive, meets expectations)
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| さすが専門家だけあって、解説が分かりやすい。 | さすがせんもんかだけあって、かいせつがわかりやすい。 | sasuga senmonka dake atte, kaisetsu ga wakariyasui. | As befitting an expert, the explanation is easy to understand. |
| 十年修行しただけあって、その技は本物だ。 | じゅうねんしゅぎょうしただけあって、そのわざはほんものだ。 | jūnen shugyō shita dake atte, sono waza wa honmono da. | Having trained for ten years, the skill is the real thing. |
| 一流のシェフだけあって、料理の完成度が高い。 | いちりゅうのシェフだけあって、りょうりのかんせいどがたかい。 | ichiryū no shefu dake atte, ryōri no kanseido ga takai. | As befitting a top-class chef, the quality of the food is high. |
Examples — だけに (broader — positive or natural consequence)
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 世界的に有名なレストランだけに、価格も相応に高い。 | せかいてきにゆうめいなレストランだけに、かかくもそうおうにたかい。 | sekaiteki ni yūmei na resutoran dake ni, kakaku mo sōō ni takai. | Precisely because it is a world-famous restaurant, the price is correspondingly high. |
| 期待が大きかっただけに、失敗の落胆も大きかった。 | きたいがおおきかっただけに、しっぱいのらくたんもおおきかった。 | kitai ga ōkikatta dake ni, shippai no rakutan mo ōkikatta. | Precisely because expectations were high, the disappointment of failure was also great. |
| 重要な試合だけに、プレッシャーも相当なものだ。 | じゅうようなしあいだけに、プレッシャーもそうとうなものだ。 | jūyō na shiai dake ni, puresshā mo sōtō na mono da. | Precisely because it is an important match, the pressure is also considerable. |
Comparison: だけあって vs だけに vs にしては
| Pattern | Expectation met? | Basis type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜だけあって | Yes (meets/confirms expectation) | Positive quality | Positive result — "as befitting" |
| 〜だけに | Yes (natural/expected) | Any notable fact | Any proportional/natural result |
| 〜にしては | No (violates expectation) | Category/identity | Unexpectedly different result |
Common Mistakes
- ❌ 初心者だけあって、間違いが多い → だけあって requires a POSITIVE quality. Use: 初心者だけに、間違いが多いのは仕方ない (natural result of being a beginner — neutral/regrettable).
- ✓ 熟練者だけあって、仕事が速い (positive quality → positive natural outcome)