Meaning
A casual form of ても: 'even if…, still…'. The second half says the outcome won't change, and いくら or どんなに often comes before it. It is neither the quoting って nor the particle だって ('even N').
Formation
- Vた＋って: 謝った → 謝ったって; 読んだ → 読んだって (after だ it becomes だって)
- Vない → Vなくたって: 言わない → 言わなくたって
- いA — Aく＋たって — 高い → 高くたって; いい → よくたって
- なA＋だって — 便利 → 便利だって
- N＋だって: 社長 → 社長だって
When to use it
- Where to use it
- Everyday conversation, when you mean 'no matter how…, still': いくら謝ったって, 少し高くたって. Especially common with いくら / どんなに / 何回 and with a negative second half.
- Where not to use it
- Grammar: it isn't a plain 'if' (that's たら / ば). The second half is normally spelled out; without it, a sentence-final 行ったって is usually heard as a quote ('he says he went') — trailing-off 今さら謝ったって… is the exception. Style: in formal writing and business emails ても / でも sounds more natural.
Examples
20 sentences-
いくら謝ったって、彼は許してくれないと思う。
No matter how much you apologize, I don't think he'll forgive you.
-
今から急いだって、終電には間に合わないよ。
Even if you hurry now, you won't make the last train.
-
少し高くたって、駅に近い部屋がいいです。
I'd prefer a place near the station, even if it costs a bit more.
-
見た目が地味だって、おいしければそれでいい。
It doesn't matter if it looks plain — as long as it tastes good, that's enough.
-
相手が社長だって、言うべきことは言います。
Even if it's the company president, I'll say what needs to be said.
-
言わなくたって、顔を見れば分かるよ。
Even if you don't say it, I can tell from your face.
-
一回ぐらい休んだって、誰も気にしないんじゃない？
Even if you skip just once, nobody's going to mind, are they?
-
どんなに便利だって、月に三千円は高すぎる。
However convenient it is, 3,000 yen a month is too much.
12 more examples
-
たとえ冗談だって、言っていいことと悪いことがある。
Even if it's a joke, there are things you just shouldn't say.
-
どんなに眠くたって、宿題は今日中にやりなさい。
No matter how sleepy you are, finish your homework today.
-
説明書を何度読んだって、使い方が分からない。
No matter how many times I read the manual, I can't figure out how to use it.
-
地図を見なくたって、この辺の道なら全部分かる。
Even without looking at a map, I know every street around here.
-
多少寒くたって、窓を開けて空気を入れ替えよう。
Even if it's a little cold, let's open the window and let some fresh air in.
-
いくら成績がよくたって、遅刻が多いと困る。
However good your grades are, being late so often is a problem.
-
道が複雑だって、カーナビがあれば迷わない。
Even if the roads are complicated, you won't get lost with a car navigation system.
-
明日が雨だって、練習は休まないからね。
Even if it rains tomorrow, we're not skipping practice, just so you know.
-
親が医者だって、子どもが医者になるとは限らない。
Just because your parents are doctors doesn't mean you'll become one too.
-
文句を言ったって、何も変わらないでしょう？
Complaining won't change anything, will it?
-
いくら頼まれたって、無理なものは無理です。
No matter how much I'm asked, what can't be done can't be done.
-
週末にたくさん寝たって、疲れが取れない。
Even if I sleep a lot on the weekend, I can't shake off the tiredness.
Important notes
- The clause before たって / だって is in plain form; politeness goes at the end of the sentence: いくら頼んだって、無理ですよ.
- It tends to sound more emotional than ても — often with a note of frustration or persuasion ('oh come on, even if…').
Common mistakes
- ✗ 高いたって → ✓ 高くたって — い-adjectives attach through the く-form, just as in 高くても.
- ✗ 便利なって → ✓ 便利だって — な-adjectives and nouns take だって.
- △ タクシーで行ったって間に合うよ (meaning 'If you take a taxi, you'll make it') → ✓ タクシーで行けば間に合うよ — たって means 'even if', so it sounds like 'you'll make it even if you take a taxi', as if the taxi were the worst option.
Check yourself
Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.
Similar grammar
- 〜てもても is the neutral form for any register; たって / だって is its casual, more emotional counterpart with the same meaning.
- ～だってThe particle だって ('even N / N too') marks a noun in the sentence (子どもだって分かる); concessive だって closes a clause meaning 'even if it's N' (相手が社長だって).
- 〜ってQuoting って: もう行ったって = 'he says he already went'; concessive たって is normally followed by a second clause (or one is clearly implied: 今さら謝ったって…).
- 〜たらたら means 'if / when' and the result follows from it; たって means 'even if' — the result doesn't depend on it.
The trainer requires a free account. Examples and practice questions on this page are available without signing up.