Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 9: 22/37

だけあってIs only natural, …Being the case, Because, As might be expected

Do not use with negative reasons/results!

Structure

Verb + だけ（のことは）あって
［い］Adjective + だけ（のことは）あって
［な］Adjective + な + だけ（のことは）あって
Noun + だけ（のことは）あって

Details

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    Standard

About だけあって

Like だけに, だけあって is a phrase that is used to show that something is 'only natural for (A)', or 'as might be expected of (A)'. This structure includes the particle だけ 'just', or 'only', and the て-form of the う-Verb ある 'to be'. In this way, the more literal meaning may be interpreted as 'just being (A), (B)', and implies that the innate trait or traits of (A) led to the expected result of (B).

だけあって will only be used when the expected result is something that is positive in relation to (A).

Like most other grammar patterns that begin with だけ, this structure may be used with verbs, い-Adjectives, な-Adjectives followed by な, or nouns.

Caution

As だけあって emphasizes an innate or constant quality of (A), it will not be used for things that are not obvious, or have not yet happened. This means that だけあって will not appear in sentences discussing things that may happen in the future, and will also not often be utilized with phrases such as だろう, でしょう, かもしれない, or similar structures that express uncertainty.

  • 幼(おそな)い頃(ころ)からアイススケートを習(なら)っていただけあって、将来(しょうらい)はオリンピック選手(せんしゅ)になるでしょう。
    As expected from someone who has been learning ice skating from a young age, she will probably be an Olympic athlete in the future. (Unnatural Japanese)
  • 毎日(まいにち)一生懸命(いっしょうけんめい)勉強(べんきょう)しただけあって、彼(かれ)は試験(しけん)に合格(ごうかく)するだろう。
    As expected, he studied hard everyday, and would probably do well on his exams. (Unnatural Japanese)

Examples

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    茶道(さどう)を習(なら)っているだけあって、礼儀(れいぎ)が正(ただ)しい。

    As one might expect, since she is learning tea ceremony, she is polite.

    昼寝(ひるね)しただけあって、午後(ごご)から眠(ねむ)くなることはなかった。

    (As might be expected) because I took a nap, I didn't become tired in the afternoon.

    あの二人(ふたり)は仲良(なかよ)しなだけあって、いつも一緒(いっしょ)にいるよね。

    As might be expected with how close those two are, they are always together.

    揚(あ)げ物(もの)を控(ひか)えただけあって、私(わたし)は３キロも痩(や)せた。

    As might be expected, I avoided eating fried food and I lost three kilograms.

    アナウンサーだけあって、早口(はやくち)言葉(ことば)が得意(とくい)だ。

    As might be expected from an announcer, tongue twisters are his strong point.

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      だけあって – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (5 in total)

      • Aythreuk

        Aythreuk

        So what you’re telling me is, any noun can be a na adjective as long as I believe with my heart?

      • s1212z

        s1212z

        lol!

        There is a difference between 形容動詞 (adjectival nouns) and nouns. I can’t think of a ‘na adjective’ that can’t be considered a noun (since they are already fundamentally a noun ). But the reverse of any noun into an adjective?..I don’t think this makes sense entirely (or even want it), just like every verb doesn’t require a tran/intrans variation. So I think it’s just an experience of what works or not.

        Slightly off topic but II like this fun Tofugu article talking about the adjective-noun spectrum and some creative ways to modify nouns into adjectives.

      • djcostcosamples

        djcostcosamples

        I’m necroposting here, but I came across a similar sort of conundrum a long time ago with Nounな+わけ and was thoroughly confused at the time.

        It’s not really that every noun can act like a な-adjective, but rather that 形式名詞 , AKA dummy/formal nouns (ones without substantive meaning in larger contexts, think もの、はず、くせ、ため, etc.) have a greater tendency to accept modification/attribution from nouns with な. In this sense, な is no different from using the である form of the copula instead.

        However, this doesn’t really apply to the question at hand…

        In the case of だけ, it’s slightly different. だけ in this context is not actually a noun, but rather a particle, so it doesn’t take modification in the same sense as the dummy nouns described above. Think about it the same way as constructions such as「それなので、…」or「今日は休みなのよ｣.

        These kinds of particles (e.g. の、ばかり、ほど、だけ) can be viewed as sort of noun-like in function (I think ...

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