What Does Dattebayo Mean? Naruto’s Catchphrase Explained

Just how One Piece taught us “I’m Gonna Become The Pirate King!” and My Hero Academia taught us “Plus Ultra,” there is one catchphrase that even the non-anime fans use more often than not. ‘Dattebayo’ is one word that Naruto fans love to use as much as the characters in the anime. But do you know the answer to What Does Dattebayo Mean? Are you too using the phrase without really knowing the meaning of it? Well, then you have come to the right place. Here, not only will you find the meaning of the phrase, but you will also find the origin and usage of Dattebayo.

Naruto Dub Version

For the fans who have been watching Naruto in the dub version all these years, the term Dattebayo may not sound familiar. Well, that is because this is a Japanese Language term that means something completely different in English. So, Dattebayo originates from words that indicate excitement. In Japanese dubs, using the terms “desu” and “ka” is quite a common phenomenon. Adding such terms at the end of a sentence provides a sense of excitement or spice to any sentence.

This is where the term Dattebayo also comes from. Right from the beginning of the anime, we have seen naruto use the word to indicate a sense of convincing to bring out trust. Further, some of the English dub adaptations dubbed the translation altogether, replacing it with this catchphrase. So, what is the meaning of Dattebayo? Let us find out.

What Does Dattebayo Mean?

If we are to pay attention to the official translation done by Viz Media, then the meaning of Dattebayo is “Believe It!” However, the biggest problem with finding the meaning behind this term comes from the fact that there is no proper English alternative for the word. There are many different phrases that were used in place of Dattebayo to convey the true meaning. However, none of them truly match the essence of the word.

At some point in the manga, the term is also replaced with “ya know.” In fact, if we are to look closely through the anime and manga, both the English versions had skipped the use of the term altogether. This was sheerly due to the lack of a better alternative in its place.

What Does Dattebayo Mean

Dattebayo: The Original Meaning

Dattebayo comes from three to four different terms, all of which convey different meanings. The first one, ‘da’ is a term that is generally used while starting any explanatory sentence. On the other hand, ‘Datte’ is a term that comes from a description that has already been explained. Lastly, the meaning of ‘bayo’ has something to do with trust. Thus in the roughest form, the meaning of Dattebayo comes out to be “Believe It.” Some fans can also trace it to the meaning of “I Told You So.”

Hope this explainer will give you the right meaning for the term Dattebayo. Now that you know the meaning of the term, you can use it more often and in the correct places. Plus, you can also tell your peers about the same. For more such interesting trivia about anime lingo, keep an eye on this space.