〜てたまらない~te tamaranai

How it works

1. 

   The feelings in the picture are overflowing: this expresses a feeling so intense you can hardly contain it.

2. 

   It also expresses physical sensations, such as thirst or tiredness, that are so strong they are hard to bear.

3. 

   For い-adjectives, change 「い」 to 「くて」, as in 「うれしくてたまらない」.

4. 

   For な-adjectives, remove 「な」 and add 「でたまらない」 to express an intense feeling.

5. 

   It mainly expresses how intensely you personally feel something, rather than giving an objective judgment about it.

6. 

   In the example, 「ない」 does not negate the happiness; the whole expression means being extremely happy.

7. 

   The examples use 「たまりませんでした」 to look back politely on the intense feelings at that time.

Example sentences

• 言いたいこといいたいことiitaikotoがgaうまくumaku言えなくいえなくienakuて、te、もどかしくmodokashikuてteたまりませんでした。tamarimasendeshita。

  I couldn't express what I wanted to say well, which was incredibly frustrating.

  AI practiceTeacher
• AI practiceTeacher

In a conversation

• A
  最近、さいきん、日本にほん語ごの勉強べんきょうはわどう？どう

  A: How is your Japanese study going lately?

  AI practiceTeacher
• B
  通じない場面つうじないばめんが続いつづいて、悔しくくやしく
  AI practiceTeacher

Check yourself

1. Level 1 · Recognise

   Which sentence is correct?

   A使いこなせない表現がまだたくさんあると気づいて、不安でたまらない時期もありましたが、少しずつ自信がついてきました。B使いこなせない表現がまだたくさんあると気づいて、不安でたまる時期もありましたが、少しずつ自信がついてきました。C使いこなせない表現がまだたくさんあると気づいて、不安でたまらない時期もありましたが、少しずつ自信がついてきませんでした。D使いこなせない表現がまだたくさんあると気づいて、不安でたまらなく時期もありましたが、少しずつ自信がついてきました。

2. Level 1 · Recognise

   Listen and choose the meaning

   AIn the process of learning how to speak in a way that suits the other person, I could really feel myself improving, and I was so happy.BEach time I practiced speaking in a way that suited the other person, I gradually became easier to understand, and I felt relieved.CSince I learned how to speak in a way that suits the other person, explanations became easier than before.DWhile learning how to speak in a way that suits the other person, I kept making the same mistake over and over.

3. Level 2 · Build

   Put the words in order

   I couldn't say what I wanted to say well, and it was frustrating beyond words.

   言いたい言いたいことはうまく言おうとして、たまりませんでした。ことがうまく言えなくて、言えなくなるので、もどかしくて
   Check

4. Level 3 · Use

   What goes in the blank?

   言いたいことがうまく言えなくて、もどかしくて____。

   I can't say what I want to say well, and it's unbearably frustrating.

   Show answer

More grammar in this theme

• 〜てたまらないoverwhelmingly intense feeling

Keep practising