たって
Even if, Even though, No matter how
Structure
Verb［なく
［い］Adjective［く］+ たって
［い］Adjective［なく
［な］Adjective + だって
［な］Adjective + じゃなくたって
Noun + だって
Noun + じゃなくたって
Explanation
たって is an informal grammar pattern that functions like 'ても' or 'でも'. It is highly versatile and can be attached to various word types to mean 'even if (A)', 'even though (A)', or 'no matter what/how (A)'.
When used with verbs, たって is formed by adding `って` to the plain past tense た-form of the verb.
- どんなに頑張ったって、結果が出ない時もある。No matter how hard you try, sometimes you just don't get results.
- いくら待ったって、バスは来ないよ。もう行ったから。No matter how long you wait, the bus isn't coming. It already left.
For い-Adjectives, change the final い to く before adding たって.
- この問題が難しくたって、諦めたくない。Even if this problem is difficult, I don't want to give up.
- 値段が高くたって、本当に欲しいものなら買うべきだ。Even if the price is high, if it's something you really want, you should buy it.
With nouns and な-Adjectives, you simply attach だって directly to the word.
- 子供だって、大人の気持ちがわかることがある。Even children can sometimes understand adult feelings.
- どんなに便利な場所だって、好きじゃないと住みたくない。No matter how convenient a place is, if you don't like it, you won't want to live there.
Fun-fact
While たって is now mostly seen as a casual version of ても, it actually comes from たとて. This older form is a blend of the past auxiliary verb た and the particle とて. とて itself is considered an old contraction of と言っても. Because of this, the modern たって still carries the nuance of its original, longer form, たと言っても, meaning 'even if one were to say (A), (B)'.
Examples
医者じゃなくたって、その怪我がひどいことぐらいわかるよ。
Even if you're not a doctor, it's obvious that's a serious injury.
いくら安くたって、質の悪いものは買いたくない。
No matter how cheap it is, I don't want to buy something of poor quality.
悔しくてどんなに泣きたくたって、みんなの前では我慢した。
No matter how much I wanted to cry out of frustration, I held it in in front of everyone.
そんなに急いだって、電車はもう出ちゃったよ。
Even if you hurry that much, the train has already left.
そのうわさが本当だとしたって、私には関係ないことです。
Even assuming that rumor is true, it has nothing to do with me.
今さら謝ったって、彼女は許してくれないだろう。
Even if you apologize now, she probably won't forgive you.
駅から遠くなくたって、バスがないと不便だね。
Even if it's not far from the station, it's still inconvenient without a bus, isn't it?
たくさん練習したって、すぐには上手にならないよ。
Even if you practice a lot, you won't get good right away.
漢字が読めなくたって、絵を見るだけで楽しい本だよ。
Even if you can't read the kanji, it's a fun book just from looking at the pictures.
彼に頼んだって、どうせ「忙しい」って言われるだけだよ。
Even if you ask him, he'll just say he's busy anyway.
子供だって、そんな嘘にはだまされないぞ！
Even if I am a child, I won't be fooled by a lie like that!
Ａ：「仕事、もうやめたいなあ…。」
Ｂ：「そんなふうに愚痴をこぼしたって、何も解決しないよ。」
A: 'I want to quit my job...'
B: 'Even if you complain like that, it won't solve anything.'