どたばた

ど

た

ば

た

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

どたばたする · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	どたばたする	どたばたしない
Polite	どたばたします	どたばたしません
Past polite	どたばたしました	どたばたしませんでした
Past	どたばたした	どたばたしなかった
Te-form	どたばたして	どたばたしないで
Desire	どたばたしたい	どたばたしたくない
Potential	どたばたできる	どたばたできない
Passive	どたばたされる	どたばたされない
Causative	どたばたさせる	どたばたさせない
Causative passive	どたばたさせられる	どたばたさせられない
Volitional	どたばたしよう
Polite volitional	どたばたしましょう
Imperative	どたばたしろ	どたばたするな
Conditional	どたばたすれば	どたばたしなければ
Tara conditional	どたばたしたら	どたばたしなかったら

Meanings

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle, noun or participle which takes 'suru'

noisily; with heavy footsteps; clatteringly

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes the sound and motion of running around heavily or noisily, often with a sense of chaotic movement.

子こどもたちが廊ろう下かをどたばた走はしり回まわっている。
The children are running around noisily in the hallway.
上うえの階かいで誰だれかがどたばたしている。
Someone is making a clattering noise upstairs.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle, noun or participle which takes 'suru'

in a fluster; in a panic; in a flurry

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes a state of hurried, confused activity, often due to panic or disorganization.

出しゅっ発ぱつの準じゅん備びでどたばたして、パスポートを忘わすれた。
I was in such a fluster getting ready to leave that I forgot my passport.
締しめ切きり前まえはいつもどたばたする。
It's always a panic before the deadline.

noun

slapstick

abbreviation

Abbreviation of ドタバタ喜劇, referring to slapstick comedy. Used as a noun.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉をドタバタ(と)走はしり回まわるto run noisily around a place
子こ供どもたちが部屋へやの中なかをドタバタと走はしり回まわっている。
The children are running noisily around the room.
〈事こと〉でドタバタするto be in a flurry because of something
引ひっ越こしの準じゅん備びでドタバタしている。
I'm in a mad rush preparing for the move.
ドタバタの〈時とき〉a hectic, frantic (day/period)
今日きょうはドタバタの一いち日にちだった。
Today was a hectic day.

Related words

バタバタ sense 1
どたばた emphasizes heavier, noisier, more chaotic movement or panic, while ばたばた is the lighter, more general mimetic word for flapping or rushing around.
あたふたN1sense 2
あたふた focuses on the flustered, hasty feeling of being caught off guard, while どたばた adds a sense of noisy, physical commotion to the panic.
ドタバタ喜き劇げき sense 3
ドタバタ喜劇 is the full term for slapstick comedy, while ドタバタ alone is the casual abbreviation used with the same meaning.
どたどたN1
どたばた describes a chaotic, bustling commotion involving people or objects, while どたどた focuses narrowly on the sound of heavy, clumsy footsteps.

Don't confuse with

ガタガタN1sense 1
がたがた describes a rattling or shaking sound (like a loose object), whereas どたばた describes noisy running or flustered activity, not mechanical rattling.

Word family

ドタバタ喜き劇げき
slapstick comedy

Written forms

どたばたUsage17%
Hiragana spelling is standard; marked as high priority.
ドタバタUsage83%
Katakana spelling is common for mimetic words and in informal writing.

Etymology

A mimetic word, likely formed by combining the heavy-footstep sound どた (dota) with the flapping/rushing sound ばた (bata). The exact origin is uncertain.