A word in the て form plus しかたがない or しょうがない literally means that there is a situation occurring with no way to escape it. These are generally used when the speaker wants to express that they can't control their reaction to something, or that they can't bear it. The latter is more colloquial. It often translates as "can't help X-ing", "can't stop feeling X", or simply "so" (to heighten the feeling being described).
昨日は、4時間しか寝られなかったので、眠くてしようがない。
Yesterday I could only get 4 hours of sleep, so I'm totally exhausted today.
来年、日本に行けることになったので、嬉しくてしょうがない。
It turns out that I can go to Japan next year, so I'm over the moon.
昨日から頭が痛くてしかたがない。メガネが合わないのかもしれない。
My head's been hurting terribly since yesterday. My glasses may not be right.
あの先生の講義は退屈でしょうがない。
That teacher's lectures are so boring.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
何から何まで
The expression 何から何まで can be used to mean "all", "anything and everything", or something similar to the English "from A to Z." It's a more emphatic way to express the general meaning of "all."
この製品に使われている物は、何から何までリサイクルできます。
Anything and everything that's used in this product can be recycled.
このアパートはできたばかりなので、何から何まで全部新しい。
This apartment was just built, so everything is new from top to bottom.
信じていた人にだまされて、何から何まで信じられなくなった。
I was deceived by someone whom I believed, and now I can't trust anything at all.
彼女はフランス語のことなら何から何まで知っている。
She knows French inside and out.
この製品に使われている物は、何から何までリサイクルできます。
Anything and everything that's used in this product can be recycled.
このアパートはできたばかりなので、何から何まで全部新しい。
This apartment was just built, so everything is new from top to bottom.
信じていた人にだまされて、何から何まで信じられなくなった。
I was deceived by someone whom I believed, and now I can't trust anything at all.
彼女はフランス語のことなら何から何まで知っている。
She knows French inside and out.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Verb stem + っぱなし
A verb stem + っぱなし can be used to express that something keeps happening, or someone keeps doing something, with that action often being something unfavorable. It can also express that someone started an action but didn't finish it properly. It's generally used in casual speech.
うちのチームは今日までずっと勝ちっぱなしだ。今シーズンはぜんぜん負けていない。
Up to today our team keeps on winning. We haven't lost at all this season.
疲れていたので、テレビをつけっぱなしにして寝てしまった。
Since I was tired, I kept leaving the TV on and falling asleep.
お湯をわかしっぱなしで忘れて寝てしまい、火事になりそうになった。
I left the water boiling, forgot about it and went to bed, and it looks like I ended up with a fire.
ルームメートはまた食べた皿を出しっぱなしのまま学校に行ってしまった。
My roommate keeps leaving out her plates that she's eaten from, and then going off to school.
うちのチームは今日までずっと勝ちっぱなしだ。今シーズンはぜんぜん負けていない。
Up to today our team keeps on winning. We haven't lost at all this season.
疲れていたので、テレビをつけっぱなしにして寝てしまった。
Since I was tired, I kept leaving the TV on and falling asleep.
お湯をわかしっぱなしで忘れて寝てしまい、火事になりそうになった。
I left the water boiling, forgot about it and went to bed, and it looks like I ended up with a fire.
ルームメートはまた食べた皿を出しっぱなしのまま学校に行ってしまった。
My roommate keeps leaving out her plates that she's eaten from, and then going off to school.
Sentence + っけ
The add-on っけ can be used at the end of a sentence as a question marker in very casual situations. If it's used after a non-past verb, adjective, or ない, then んだ must be added before っけ.
この漢字って、どう読むんだっけ？
How do you read this kanji?
マイクさん、今、どこの大学に留学してたっけ？
Where's the university Mike's doing his studying abroad at?
この豆腐、古そうだよ。いつ買ったんだっけ？
This tofu seems old. When'd you buy it?
あのレストラン、おいしかったっけ？
Was that restaurant good?
この漢字って、どう読むんだっけ？
How do you read this kanji?
マイクさん、今、どこの大学に留学してたっけ？
Where's the university Mike's doing his studying abroad at?
この豆腐、古そうだよ。いつ買ったんだっけ？
This tofu seems old. When'd you buy it?
あのレストラン、おいしかったっけ？
Was that restaurant good?
Monday, June 25, 2018
と同時に
The expression と同時に can be used to express that an event takes place at the same time as another event, or that two separate situations are both simultaneously the case. It can be translated as "as soon as", "at the same time", "as well", or "also."
電車のドアが開くと同時に、多くの人が降りて来た。
The moment the train's doors opened, a bunch of people got off.
新しいゲームソフトは発売されると同時に、全部売れてしまった。
As soon as the new game was put on sale, it sold out completely.
12月に入ると同時に、急に寒くなった。
It quickly became cold as soon as we entered December.
この絵本は読んで面白いと同時に、考えさせられる。
I read this picture book and it was interesting, and it also made me think.
電車のドアが開くと同時に、多くの人が降りて来た。
The moment the train's doors opened, a bunch of people got off.
新しいゲームソフトは発売されると同時に、全部売れてしまった。
As soon as the new game was put on sale, it sold out completely.
12月に入ると同時に、急に寒くなった。
It quickly became cold as soon as we entered December.
この絵本は読んで面白いと同時に、考えさせられる。
I read this picture book and it was interesting, and it also made me think.
かえって
The word かえって can be used in a sentence when a result occurs that is contrary to your expectations. Though it can be translated literally as "on the contrary" or "rather", that often doesn't fit well into English sentences.
頭が痛かったので薬を飲んだら、かえってひどくなったしまった。
When I took some medicine since my head hurt, my head instead became worse.
急いでいたのでタクシーに乗ったら、道が混んでいて、かえって遅くなってしまった。
When I hurried so I could get a taxi, the road was crowded, and so I ended up going even slower.
よく切れない包丁はかえって危ないよ。
A kitchen knife that does not cut often is actually dangerous.
友達と大げんかをしたら、その後、かえって仲良くなった。
When I got in a huge fight with my friend, afterwards, we actually became closer.
頭が痛かったので薬を飲んだら、かえってひどくなったしまった。
When I took some medicine since my head hurt, my head instead became worse.
急いでいたのでタクシーに乗ったら、道が混んでいて、かえって遅くなってしまった。
When I hurried so I could get a taxi, the road was crowded, and so I ended up going even slower.
よく切れない包丁はかえって危ないよ。
A kitchen knife that does not cut often is actually dangerous.
友達と大げんかをしたら、その後、かえって仲良くなった。
When I got in a huge fight with my friend, afterwards, we actually became closer.
Friday, June 22, 2018
以来
The word 以来 can be used with て form verbs or with nouns to refer to a specific time in the past. It usually translates as "since."
大学に入って以来、高校時代の友達に一度も会っていない。
Since I started college, I haven't seen my high school friends a single time.
携帯電話が登場して以来、街の公衆電話が少なくなった。
Since the introduction of cell phones, the number of pay phones in cities has decreased.
9/11以来、飛行機に乗る時のセキュリティチェックがとても厳しくなった。
Since 9/11, the security checks done when flying have become very strict.
父は10年前に亡くなった。それ以来、母は一人で私達兄弟を育ててくれた。
My father passed away before I was 10. Since then, my mother has raised my siblings and I by herself.
大学に入って以来、高校時代の友達に一度も会っていない。
Since I started college, I haven't seen my high school friends a single time.
携帯電話が登場して以来、街の公衆電話が少なくなった。
Since the introduction of cell phones, the number of pay phones in cities has decreased.
9/11以来、飛行機に乗る時のセキュリティチェックがとても厳しくなった。
Since 9/11, the security checks done when flying have become very strict.
父は10年前に亡くなった。それ以来、母は一人で私達兄弟を育ててくれた。
My father passed away before I was 10. Since then, my mother has raised my siblings and I by herself.
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