かというと (ka to iu to) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Because

How かというと is formed

The expression かというと is formed:

• by the interrogative particle か
• by the particle と with the meaning of so
• by the verb say 言(い)う
• by the particle と with conditional value if

The interrogative particle introduces a question and the expression can be translated as:

⇨ If I have to answer the question, if I have to explain the thing (in Sentence 1), then I say that ... (Sentence 2).

かというと to refute something

かというと joins 2 sentences in which the first expresses a concept and the second goes to refute and overturn what was said in the first.

⇨ If you say that Japan is a safe place, it's not really so.

⇨ (If you ask me) if he is overworked, (I answer that) actually he is not.

かというと to describe something

In this case, the second sentence contains explanations or descriptions referring to the first sentence and the whole proposition ends with からだ.

Literally: If I have to explain the reason why restaurants want to promote drinks, it is because the profit margin is high.

We have seen in another post dealing with the verb want, the usage of たい and たがる.

かと言(い)えば synonym of かと言(い)うと

かと言(い)えば is used as a synonym of かと言(い)うと.

言(い)えば is the conditional form of the verb 言(い)う say: if I were to say

どうしてかというと: the reason is

The question どうして why? is used in conjunction with the expression かというと and is placed at the beginning of the second sentence describing the reasons of the first.

どうしてかと言えば and なぜかと言うと are synonyms of どうしてかと言うと

Short dialogue between 先(せん)生(せい) teacher and 学(がく)生(せい) student:

The complete phrase of the student's answer is:

Synonyms of どうしてかというと

This expression has several synonyms commonly used in Japanese:

• 何故(なぜ)かと言(い)うと expression with naze why? / because: naze ka to iu to
• 何故(なぜ)ならば naze naraba
• 何故(なぜ)なら naze nara; naraba and nara are conditional auxiliaries meaning if: If (I have to say) why
• その理(り)由(ゆう)は riyū means reason, motive: that reason ⇨ the reason why... is ...
• と言(い)うのは with the verb say 言(い)う: this means; because; that is to say...

KanjiNo FuriganaKanaRomaji

毎(まい)日(にち)本(ほん)を読(よ)みます。なぜかというと、本(ほん)が大(だい)好(す)きだからです。

I read books every day. It's because I love books..

KanjiNo FuriganaKanaRomaji

なぜならあんたはぼくの仲(なか)間(ま)になるからだ。

It's because you will be my friend.

KanjiNo FuriganaKanaRomaji

この場(ば)所(しょ)が好(す)きだ。なぜかと言(い)と、たくさんの思(おも)い出(で)があるからです。

I like this place, because I have many memories.

KanjiNo FuriganaKanaRomaji

５月(がつ)５日(か)の子(こ)供(ども)の日(ひ)というのは、子(こ)供(ども)が元(げん)気(き)に育(そだ)ったことを祝(いわ)う日(ひ)だ。

5 May, the Children's Day is the day to celebrate the healthy development of children.

どちらかというと

どちら is an interrogative of the Kosoado series, the Japanese demonstratives and means which one? or which side? and as expression of Keigo, the honorific language, it also has the meaning of who?.

To ask for the person's name:

どちらかというと is used at the beginning of the sentence and expresses the choice between different options.

The various translations:

• If anything
• If I had to choose, I would pick ...
• I would prefer
• Relatively speaking

The translation is adapted according to the context. What the expression implies is that it is always a choice between different options, in this case between going and not going to a certain place. どちら is replaced at a less formal level by どっち

Examples of かというと