だけのことはある
🃏 Flashcard
だけのことはある
dake no koto wa aru
Tap to reveal usage
as expected of; not for nothing
N2
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N2
Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage
Reading
dake no koto wa aru
Post ID
51006
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
as expected of; not for nothing
📖 How to use it
Says that something lived up to its reputation or wasn't done in vain.
Attaches to
Attach to the plain past form of a verb (e.g., 行っただけのことはある), to a noun + だった (e.g., 日本人だっただけのことはある), or to the plain present form of an adjective (e.g., 高いだけのことはある).
This pattern means that the effort or reputation behind something was justified, so the result is as expected. When you use it, you're saying that because of a certain action, quality, or status, the outcome makes sense. For example, after eating at a famous restaurant and having a great meal, you might say 高いだけのことはある (It's expensive, but it's worth it). It's often used with verbs in the past tense, like 頑張っただけのことはある (The effort wasn't in vain).
このレストランは高いだけのことはあって、料理がとても美味しい。
Kono resutoran wa takai dake no koto wa atte, ryouri ga totemo oishii.
This restaurant is expensive, but the food is delicious, as expected.
彼は日本に十年住んでいただけのことはあって、日本語が上手だ。
Kare wa Nihon ni juunen sunde ita dake no koto wa atte, Nihongo ga jouzu da.
Having lived in Japan for ten years, his Japanese is good, as you'd expect.
頑張っただけのことはあって、試験に合格した。
Ganbatta dake no koto wa atte, shiken ni goukaku shita.
All my hard work paid off; I passed the exam.
Not だけあって
だけあって also means 'as expected', but it attaches to the plain present or past form of a verb (e.g., 高いだけあって), while だけのことはある can follow the past form of a verb, a noun + だった, or the plain present form of an adjective (e.g., 高いだけのことはある). Also, だけのことはある emphasizes that the result justifies the effort or reputation.
Register
Neutral, used in both conversation and writing, but more common in spoken Japanese to express a natural reaction.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
だけのことはある
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat だけのことはある three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using だけのことはある. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N2 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern だけのことはある mean?
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As expected of; not for nothing
What JLPT level is だけのことはある?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use だけのことはある in a sentence?
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Attach だけのことはある (dake no koto wa aru) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is だけのことはある formal or casual Japanese?
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だけのことはある is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember だけのことはある long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.