言っただろ
itta daromasculine
The English phrase "I told you so" is expressed in Japanese as 言っただろ (itta daro). Wiktionary also lists 言ったでしょ (itta desho).
Meaning: told you so! (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 言っただろ | itta daro | masculine |
| 言ったでしょ | itta desho | feminine |
This phrase is used when someone's previous warning or prediction has come true, often carrying a tone of smugness or frustration. For a more emphatic way to say "That's why I said so" to emphasize previous advice or warning, you can use だから言ったじゃん. If you need to express this idea in a formal way, such as "As I previously mentioned" to subtly hint that you had already provided the information, use 以前お伝えしたように.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the past tense of the verb 'to say' (itta) and a particle (daro) that functions like "right?" or "didn't I?"
Which one should you use?
言っただろ is the masculine form. 言ったでしょ is the feminine form and means "I said so".
How do you pronounce it?
itta daro
Did you know?
- While 言っただろ is common in anime to show a character's dominance, using it in real life with a superior can be seen as an act of aggression or a direct challenge to their authority.
- The phrase だから言ったじゃん uses the particle じゃん, which is a colloquialism heavily associated with the Kanto region, including Tokyo. It makes the phrase sound much more youthful and conversational than standard textbook Japanese.
- If you want to say 'I told you so' without sounding like you are blaming the other person, you might avoid the verb 'to say' entirely. Instead, one might use a phrase about 'the situation' to save the listener's face.
Examples in context
- ほら、言っただろ。Hora, itta daro.See, I told you so.
- 危ないって言っただろ！Abunai tte itta daro!I told you it was dangerous!
- 絶対失敗するって言っただろ。Zettai shippai suru tte itta daro.I told you it would definitely fail.
Example conversation
Ren is looking at a broken gadget after ignoring Yui's warning.
- 結衣 Yui壊れるって言っただろ。Kowareru tte itta daro.I told you it would break.
- 蓮 Ren本当に壊れちゃったよ。Hontou ni kowarechatta yo.It actually broke.
- 結衣 Yuiだから言っただろ？Dakara itta daro?That's why I told you, right?
- 蓮 Renごめん、結衣。Gomen, Yui.Sorry, Yui.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I told you so” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
