彼女はすご腕のハッカーなだけあって、どんなセキュリティも突破できる。
かのじょ は すご うで の ハッカー な だけあって、 どんな セキュリティ も とっぱ できる。
As expected from a master hacker, she can break through any security.
Let’s start with ～だけあって. Think of it like this: You see a dude rollin’ up in a brand new, chromed-out Cadillac Escalade, right? And you’re like, “Man, he just hit the lottery, no wonder he’s flossin’ like that.” That’s the vibe. It’s when you see the result and it makes perfect sense because of the initial situation. It’s like, the evidence is right there. You see a high-class joint, and the food’s fire? Saaay less. That’s ～だけあって. The consequence totally lives up to the reputation or the situation. This pattern is used when a situation or outcome is exactly as one would expect based on a certain status, role, or quality. It often has a positive or neutral connotation, expressing admiration or a simple statement of fact.
Now, ～だけに is a little different. It’s more about emphasis. Imagine you’re a big-time kingpin, and you’re planning a massive operation. You got all your lieutenants, your soldiers, everyone’s ready. The stakes are sky-high. So, when the mission is a success, you’re not just happy, you’re extra happy. The success is more significant because of how high the stakes were. It’s like, “Because the job was so dangerous, the payoff was that much sweeter.” It’s about how the circumstances add weight to the outcome. It can also be used for things that are not necessarily “expected” but are a direct result of a preceding condition.
Peep the science on how to hook this grammar up.
| Part of Speech | Conjugation Rule | Full Example |
| Verb | Plain Form + だけあって/だけに | 引き受けただけに hikiuketa dake ni precisely because I accepted it |
| い-adjective | Plain Form + だけあって/だけに | 口がうまいだけあって kuchi ga umai dake atte as expected of a smooth talker |
| な-adjective | な / である + だけあって/だけに | 有名なだけあって yuumei na dake atte as expected of being famous |
| Noun | (no particle) / である + だけあって/だけに | 伝説のヒットマンだけあって densetsu no hittoman dake atte as expected of a legendary hitman |
So here’s the deal. You just slap ～だけあって or ～だけに right after the plain form of a verb or an い-adjective. For な-adjectives, you can either keep the な or swap it for である. For nouns, you can go straight up and connect it, or get a little more formal and slide in である. It’s all about that flow.
To put it in the streets: ～だけあって is when you see a big boss’s crib and it’s exactly what you’d expect—mad expensive and flashy. ～だけに is when you’re the big boss, and because you’ve worked so hard and taken so many risks, that expensive crib feels that much better to live in.
Here’s some new vocab to keep your game tight.
交渉術 (こうしょうじゅつ)
English: Negotiation skills; the art of the deal.
“Koushoujutsu” is all about how you run your mouth to get what you want. It ain’t about who’s the loudest, it’s about who’s the smartest player in the room. It’s that smooth talk you use to flip a situation, make a deal go your way, whether you’re choppin’ it up with the big bosses or talkin’ down a rival crew on the block. It’s your verbal hustle, your game. You gotta have that silver tongue to make it to the top, feel me?
元締 (もとじめ)
English: The boss; the kingpin; the top dog.
The “Motojime” is the shot-caller, the big homie, the one runnin’ the whole operation. This ain’t just some middle-manager; this is the top of the food chain, the one givin’ out the orders and takin’ the biggest cut. Think of the Godfather, the head of the syndicate. Every crew got one, the one whose word is law. You don’t cross the Motojime unless you got a death wish, you dig?
伝説の (でんせつの)
English: Legendary; mythical.
“Densetsu no” is that status you get when your name rings out in the streets long after you gone. We talkin’ about the real OGs, the ones whose stories get told over and over. They ain’t just successful, they’re iconic. Their moves were so epic, their rep so solid, that they become more than just a person—they a legend. Like Biggie in Bed-Stuy or Tupac on the West Coast, their influence is eternal. That’s “Densetsu no.”
痕跡 (こんせき)
English: A trace; a mark; evidence.
“Konseki” is the stuff that gets left behind. When a deal goes down, or when things get messy, it’s the evidence—the fingerprints, the empty shells, the footprint in the dirt. It’s the ghost of what happened. The feds, the snitches, they always lookin’ for the “Konseki” to piece together the story. A true pro, a real ghost, moves without leavin’ a single trace. You gotta be clean, you understand?
桁違いに高い (けたちがい に たかい)
English: Off the charts expensive; on a whole other level of high.
When we talkin’ ’bout somethin’ that’s “Keta-chigai ni takai,” we ain’t just sayin’ it’s pricey. We mean it’s in a different stratosphere. This ain’t your corner store liquor; this is top-shelf, exclusive, can’t-even-buy-it type of expensive. It’s that multi-million dollar ice, that private jet lifestyle. The price is so high, it’s laughably out of reach for most cats. It’s a different bracket of bread, a whole ‘nother tax bracket, G.
Aight, here are some lines so you can see how the real Gs use it.
あの組織のボスだけあって、交渉術が半端じゃなかった。
あのそしきのボスだけあって、こうしょうじゅつがはんぱじゃなかった。
He’s the boss of that syndicate, so no wonder his negotiation skills were next level.
元締だけあって、彼の計画は常に完璧だった。
もとじめだけあって、かれのけいかくはつねにかんぺきだった。
He’s the kingpin, so it makes sense his plans were always flawless.
何年も塀の中だっただけに、自由の重みを誰よりも知っている。
なんねんもへいのなかだっただけに、じゆうのおもみをだれよりもわかっている。
He was locked up for many years, so the weight of freedom is something he knows more than anyone.
昔のギャングスターだけあって、彼の銃の腕は凄まじい。
むかしのギャングスターだけあって、かれのじゅうのうではすさまじい。
He’s an old-school gangster, so no surprise his gun skills are insane.
伝説のヒットマンだけあって、彼の仕事はいつも痕跡を残さなかった。
でんせつのヒットマンだけあって、かれのしごとはいつもこんせきをのこさなかった。
He’s a legendary hitman, so it makes sense his jobs never left any traces.
命がけの仕事だけに、報酬も桁違いに高かった。
いのちがけのしごとだけに、ほうしゅうもけたちがいな高かった。
It was a life-risking job, which is why the payout was astronomically high.
大物だけに、彼の裏切りは組織に大きな打撃を与えた。
おおものだけに、かれのうらぎりはそしきにおおきなだげきをあたえた。
Because he was such a big shot, his betrayal hit the organization extra hard.
凄腕のハスラーだけあって、どんな取引でも成功させてきた。
すごうでのハスラーだけあって、どんなとりひきでもせいこうさせてきた。
He’s a top-tier hustler, so it’s no shock he’s succeeded in every deal.
極秘の作戦だけに、参加するメンバーは全員信頼できる奴らだった。
ごくひのさくせんだけに、さんかするメンバーはぜんいんしんらいできるやつらだった。
It was a top-secret mission, which is why all the members were trustworthy dudes.
長年のライバルだけに、お互いの手の内は全て知っている。
ながねんのライバルだけに、おたがいのてのうちをすべてわかっている。
They’ve been rivals for many years, so they know each other’s every move.
Alright, that’s the lowdown on だけに and だけあって. Stay safe out there and keep your head on a swivel. Peace out.
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