JLPT N2 grammar
〜だけに — Meaning & Examples
All the more because X — X intensifies the result, which can be positive OR negative (often emotional). 期待していただけに、がっかりした.
〜だけに — All the More Because X
〜だけに = "precisely because X, (all the more) Y." X intensifies the result — Y is especially true because of X. Unlike だけあって, the result can be positive or negative, and it's often an emotional reaction.
Formation: noun / plain form + だけに (な-adjective + な)
期待していただけに、結果が悪くてがっかりした。
= Because I'd had high hopes, the bad result was all the more disappointing.
ベテラン選手だけに、この負けは悔しいだろう。
= Being a veteran player, this loss must sting all the more.
一生懸命準備しただけに、合格の喜びは大きかった。
= Precisely because I'd prepared so hard, the joy of passing was huge.
だけあって vs だけに — the exam's favourite pair:
| だけあって | だけに | |
|---|---|---|
| Result is... | as expected, lives up to X | intensified — especially so because of X |
| Tone | admiring, positive | emotional; can be + or − |
| Follows a bad result? | rarely | freely (がっかり, 悔しい) |
有名なだけあって、混んでいる。 = famous, so (naturally) crowded. (neutral observation)
有名なだけに、批判も多い。 = precisely because it's famous, it also gets a lot of criticism. (X cuts both ways)
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on 〜だけに. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 期待していただけに、結果が悪くてがっかりした means?
- The result was good, as I expected
- I expected a bad result, so I wasn't disappointed
- Because I had high hopes, the bad result was all the more disappointing
- I had no expectations
Show answer
Answer: Because I had high hopes, the bad result was all the more disappointing
〜だけに = precisely because X, (all the more) Y. Here X (high hopes) intensifies the disappointment.
2. 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 〜だけに 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
- 〜だけあってAs you'd expect from X — the result lives up to X, usually admiring.
- だけあって vs だけに有名なだけあって混んでいる (lives up to it, neutral) vs 有名なだけに批判も多い (precisely because — X cuts both w…
- 〜ものだから／ものでIt's just that X, so...
- 〜ことだからNoun(person) + の + ことだから = knowing them, surely Y — a confident guess based on someone's…
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜だけに mean?
All the more because X — X intensifies the result, which can be positive OR negative (often emotional). 期待していただけに、がっかりした.
Is 〜だけに on the JLPT N2 test?
〜だけに 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 〜だけに?
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.