Meaning
~たって/だって is a colloquial version of ~ても/でも with two main uses: (1) expressing concession—'even if/though'—showing that something doesn't change the outcome despite the condition; (2) with question words (何だって, 誰だって, etc.)—expressing universal statements meaning 'anything/anyone without exception.' The form changes based on the word type preceding it.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 动词(ます形) | たって |
| い形容词(…い→)く | たって |
| な形容词 | だって |
| 名词 | だって |
Examples
-
あの母親は子供のためなら、何だってするよ。
That mother will do anything for her children. -
仕事が忙しくたって、ちゃんとご飯を食べようね。
Even if work is busy, let's make sure to eat properly. -
誰だって、ほかの人に言えない秘密があるんだよ。
Everyone has secrets they can't tell other people.
Summary
- Use ~たって after verb stems or i-adjectives (く form), and ~だって after na-adjectives and nouns
- Question word + だって (何だって, 誰だって) = 'anything/anyone without exception'
- Without question words, ~たって/だって = concessive meaning 'even if/though,' similar to ~ても