connective N1 uncommon writtenliterary
〜あっての — A which exists only thanks to B
〜あっての ・ あっての
Meaning
- ~ that exists only thanks to ~ / no ~ without ~ — B is the indispensable basis for A
Key sentence
お客様あっての商売だ。
It's a business that exists only thanks to its customers.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun + あっての + Noun | N1 + あっての + N2 (N2 depends entirely on N1) | 命あっての物種 |
Examples
読者あっての作家だと、彼はいつも言う。
He always says a writer is nothing without readers.
健康あっての仕事だから、無理はしないでください。
Work depends on your health, so please don't overdo it.
Easily confused with
なくして(は) なくして(は) frames the same dependency as a negative condition + clause ('without ~, … cannot be'); あっての packages it adnominally between two nouns ('the A that only B makes possible'). なしには 〜なしには = 'without ~, … not' (a negative condition before a verb); あっての is the positive adnominal form linking two nouns directly.
Notes
- 命あっての物種 ('while there's life, there's hope') is a set proverb built on this pattern.
See 〜あっての in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜あっての the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.