Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| だから何 | da kara nani |
| だから何ですか | da kara nan desu ka |
| だから何だ | da kara nan da |
| で？ | de |
These phrases are used as a reply of indifference.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase だから何 is composed of だから (da kara), meaning "therefore" or "so" and 何 (nani), meaning "what".
Which one should you use?
While だから何 and its variations focus on the irrelevance of a previous statement, the shorter form で？ functions as a more conversational way to prompt a speaker to continue or to express "and/so?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
だから何 is an informal form that can sound blunt or rude depending on your tone of voice. The polite version is だから何ですか, though this still carries a confrontational or dismissive tone due to the nature of the question.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding の (no) to the end of だから何 creates the form だから何なの？, which is a common way to add a nuance of questioning the underlying meaning or intent.
How do you pronounce it?
da kara nani
Did you know?
- Using だから何ですか in a business setting can be perceived as a 'social suicide' move because the polite grammar cannot mask the inherent defiance of the phrase.
- In Japanese pop culture, particularly in anime, a character using だから何 often signals a 'tsundere' personality trait, where they act indifferent to hide their true feelings.
- In Japanese, the word だから is frequently used not just for logic, but as an emotional filler to signal frustration or impatience when a speaker feels they are repeating themselves.
Examples in context
- だから何なの？So what?This sentence is useful for seeing the use of だから何.Tatoeba #203825 by small_snow, translation #1340 by Sbgodin
- うん。キスしたよ。で？Yes, I kissed him. So what?This sentence is useful for seeing the use of で？Tatoeba #11030923 by small_snow, translation #2260412 by Hybrid
- だから何？俺にとってはそんなのどうでもいいよ。So what? It doesn't matter to me.Tatoeba #11804105 by small_snow, translation #41069 by Swift
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Himari and Ren are arguing about a small mistake.
- 蓮 Ren昨日、約束を忘れてたよね。Kinou, yakusoku o wasureteta yo ne.You forgot our promise yesterday, didn't you?
- 陽葵 Himariだから何。Dakara nani.So what?
- 蓮 Renひどいよ、陽葵！Hidoi yo, Himari!That's mean, Himari!
- 陽葵 Himari別にいいじゃん。Betsu ni ii jan.It's no big deal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “so what” translations and entries だから何だ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
