JLPT N2 grammar

〜だけあって — Meaning & Examples

As you'd expect from X — the result lives up to X, usually admiring. 10年住んでいただけあって英語が自然だ. Stand-alone variant: 〜だけのことはある.

〜だけあって — Living Up to X

〜だけあって = "as one would expect from X" / "being X, it's no surprise that..." The result matches or justifies X — and the tone is almost always positive / admiring.

Formation: noun / plain form + だけあって (な-adjective + な, noun often bare)

彼は10年イギリスに住んでいただけあって、英語がとても自然だ。
= Having lived in England for 10 years, his English is (as you'd expect) very natural.

このレストランは有名なだけあって、いつも混んでいる。
= Being famous (as it is), this restaurant is always crowded.

高いだけあって、この鞄は作りがしっかりしている。
= For the price (as befits it), this bag is very well made.

The logic: X is a reason to expect something good, and the result delivers. 高いだけあって、質がいい = "it's expensive, and sure enough the quality's good."

Compare with せっかく (review): せっかく = "despite the effort/opportunity" (often ends in disappointment). だけあって = "the effort/quality paid off, as expected." Nearly opposite feelings.

A related idiom: 〜だけのことはある — same "lives up to it" feeling, used as its own stand-alone comment rather than attached mid-sentence: さすが、プロだけのことはある。= "Impressive — that's a pro for you."

Practice questions

Try these 3 questions on 〜だけあって. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.

1. 彼は10年イギリスに住んでいただけあって、英語がとても自然だ means?
- Although he lived in England, his English is unnatural
- He wants to live in England to improve his English
- As you'd expect from living in England 10 years, his English is very natural
- His English is natural despite never living abroad
Show answer
Answer: As you'd expect from living in England 10 years, his English is very natural
〜だけあって = as one would expect from X — the result lives up to X, with an admiring tone.
2. The tone of 〜だけあって is usually?
- Negative and critical
- Neutral and factual only
- Positive/admiring — the result justifies X
- Regretful
Show answer
Answer: Positive/admiring — the result justifies X
だけあって almost always introduces a good result that lives up to X: 高いだけあって、質がいい.
3. How do だけあって and だけに differ?
- They are identical
- だけあって = the result lives up to X (usually positive); だけに = X intensifies the result, which can be + or −
- だけに is always positive; だけあって always negative
- Only formality differs
Show answer
Answer: だけあって = the result lives up to X (usually positive); だけに = X intensifies the result, which can be + or −
有名なだけあって混んでいる (lives up to it) vs 有名なだけに批判も多い (precisely because — X cuts both ways).

Practise 〜だけあって in the free app

This point is part of the “🎯 Fitting Expectations — だけあって・だけに・ものだから・ことだから” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N2 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.

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Related N2 grammar points

From the same lesson: 🎯 Fitting Expectations — だけあって・だけに・ものだから・ことだから

Frequently asked questions

What does 〜だけあって mean?

As you'd expect from X — the result lives up to X, usually admiring. 10年住んでいただけあって英語が自然だ. Stand-alone variant: 〜だけのことはある.

Is 〜だけあって on the JLPT N2 test?

〜だけあって is taught in the JLPT N2 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “🎯 Fitting Expectations — だけあって・だけに・ものだから・ことだから”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.

How can I practise 〜だけあって?

Open the “🎯 Fitting Expectations — だけあって・だけに・ものだから・ことだから” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N2 mock exams, with no ads.