Translation guide
The English phrase "after all" has two main uses: (1) introducing a reason that justifies or explains something, often contradicting a previous assumption, and (2) indicating that something happened contrary to expectation. Japanese uses different expressions for each, and the choice depends on whether you are giving a reason or expressing a result.
To say 'after all' when giving a reason that explains or justifies a situation, often implying 'because of this obvious fact' or 'as one might expect given the circumstances'.
To say 'after all' when something happens despite previous doubt or expectation, meaning 'in the end, it turned out that...' or 'actually, it did happen'.
やっぱり (or やはり) is used when the result matches your expectation or when you change your mind back to the original idea. 結局 is more neutral and simply states the final outcome, often after a process or deliberation. For 'after all' in the sense of 'as expected', やっぱり is better. For 'in the end', 結局 is more common.
やっぱり彼が犯人だった。
After all, he was the culprit. (As I suspected.)
結局、誰も来なかった。
After all, nobody came. (In the end, nobody came.)
The phrase 'after all' is not about time sequence. Do not translate it as 後で (あとで), which means 'later' or 'afterwards'. That is a common mistake.
鍵をなくしたと思ったけど、やっぱりポケットにあった。
I thought I lost my keys, but after all they were in my pocket.
だって彼は上司だから、言うことを聞くべきだ。
After all, he is the boss, so we should listen to him.
After all, he's still a child.
どうして行かないの？ だって、お金がないんだ。
Why aren't you going? After all, I don't have any money.
Used to emphasize a reason, similar to 'after all' or 'you see'. It often precedes a statement that explains or justifies something.
なにしろ初めての海外旅行だから、緊張している。
After all, it's my first trip abroad, so I'm nervous.
Formal or written way to introduce a reason, equivalent to 'because' or 'the reason is'. It can be used like 'after all' in explanatory contexts.
彼は信頼できる。なぜなら、いつも約束を守るからだ。
He is trustworthy. After all, he always keeps his promises.
Literally 'in the end' or 'after all', but used more for summarizing a conclusion rather than giving a reason. Can overlap with 'after all' when implying 'when all is said and done'.
結局、彼は来なかった。
After all, he didn't come. (In the end, he didn't come.)
The most common way to express 'after all' in the sense of 'as I thought' or 'contrary to what was expected'. It can indicate that the outcome matches one's original expectation or that something happened despite doubts.
雨が降ると思ったけど、やっぱり降った。
I thought it would rain, and after all, it did.
やっぱり彼は来なかった。
After all, he didn't come. (As I suspected, he didn't come.)
Used when the final result is different from what was expected or when summarizing an outcome. It often translates to 'in the end' or 'after all'.
結局、彼は来なかった。
After all, he didn't come. (In the end, he didn't come.)
いろいろ考えたが、結局、元の計画に戻った。
We considered many options, but after all, we went back to the original plan.
More formal version of やっぱり. Used in writing or formal speech to mean 'after all', 'as expected', or 'on second thought'.
やはり彼の言ったことは本当だった。
After all, what he said was true.
Means 'however' or 'but', and can be used to introduce a contrary outcome, similar to 'after all' when expressing surprise. It emphasizes the unexpected result.
彼は来ないと言っていた。ところが、来た。
He said he wouldn't come. But after all, he did.
後で電話します。
I'll call you later. (NOT 'after all')
後で電話します。
I'll call you later. (NOT 'after all')