GrammarJLPT N5
→ because
After all / Because / But / Even
JLPT N5ConjunctionCasual spoken
だって is a highly versatile casual expression that can function as a conjunction meaning "after all" or "because" (used to justify or excuse something), as a soft objection meaning "but" (similar to でも), or as a particle meaning "even" (similar to も or だって). As a conjunction at the start of a sentence, だって provides a reason or excuse, often with a slightly childish, defensive, or whiny tone — like saying "but...because..." in English. When attached to a noun or pronoun, だって functions as a particle meaning "even (someone/something)," emphasizing that an extreme or unexpected example also applies to the statement. This grammar point is distinctly colloquial and should be avoided in formal writing or polite speech. It is often confused with だから (which states a reason more neutrally) and でも (which introduces contrast without the justifying nuance). The particle use of だって overlaps with でも and だって attached to nouns meaning "even," and learners should be careful to distinguish these functions by context.
Functions
#1 Giving a reason or excuse (after all / because)
Structure
だって + reason clause
どうして食べないの？ — だって、おなかがいたいんだもん。
Here だって appears at the beginning of the reply and functions as a conjunction meaning "because" or "after all." The speaker is giving an excuse or justification for not eating, and the tone is casual and slightly defensive. This is the most common use of だって as a conjunction — it provides a reason in response to a question or criticism. The sentence-ending もん reinforces the excuse-giving, somewhat childish tone.Why aren't you eating? — Because my stomach hurts.
Structures
- Conjunction (after all / because / but)
- だって + reason / excuse clause
- Particle (even)
- Noun + だって
Common mistakes
A common mistake is using だって in formal or polite situations, since it is strictly casual and can sound childish or whiny. Learners often confuse the conjunction use of だって with だから, but だから states a reason neutrally and leads to a conclusion, whereas だって is reactive, offering an excuse in response to someone else. Another frequent error is failing to distinguish between the conjunction use (at the start of a sentence) and the particle use (attached to a noun), which leads to misinterpretation. Finally, some learners mix up だって meaning "even" with さえ, but さえ is used in more formal registers and often pairs with conditional forms, while だって is limited to casual speech.
Related
だからでもだけどもさえだっても