Meaning and Usage
The suffix ～だて (建て) is used to describe the number of stories a building has or to indicate a type of housing, especially detached houses. It attaches to numbers to specify how many floors a building has, such as 三階建て (three-story). It also appears in compounds like 一戸建て, meaning a detached house.
Common Collocations
- 三階建て, 二階建て: specifying the number of floors in a building.
- 一戸建て: a detached house, often contrasted with apartments or row houses.
Register and Nuance
This term is neutral and commonly used in everyday conversation, real estate, and construction contexts. It is not formal but is standard vocabulary.
Learner Tips
Do not confuse ～だて with verbs like 建てる (to build). ～だて is a noun suffix describing building structure, not an action. Also, 一戸建て refers specifically to a detached house, not just any house.
Understanding this suffix helps learners talk about buildings and housing types naturally in Japanese.