〜てしまう
When attached to the te-form of a verb, ~てしまう (teshimau) has two main meanings. The first is that an action has been completed, often thoroughly or unintentionally, leaving no room for further action or change. It implies a sense of finality, like finishing a task completely.
The second meaning conveys a sense of regret, something happening unexpectedly, or an undesirable outcome. For instance, if you accidentally break something, you might use ~てしまう to express that unfortunate situation.
It's important to note that ~てしまう can sometimes be shortened in casual speech to ~ちゃう (chau) for verbs ending in a 't' sound (e.g., 行ってしまう becomes 行っちゃう), or ~じゃう (jau) for verbs ending in a 'd' sound.
Understanding the context helps you determine whether the speaker is emphasizing completion or expressing regret. Pay attention to the surrounding words and the speaker's tone.
When attached to the te-form of a verb, the auxiliary verb 〜てしまう (teshimau) indicates that an action has been completed, often with a sense of finality or thoroughness. It can also convey regret, indicating that an action was done unintentionally or that the speaker wishes it hadn't happened. For example, if you say 宿題をしてしまった (shukudai o shite shimatta), it could mean you finished your homework completely, or it could imply that you regret having done it, perhaps because you wanted to do something else. The specific nuance depends heavily on the context of the conversation. Another common usage is when something happens unexpectedly or without the speaker's control, like 電車に乗り遅れてしまった (densha ni noriokurete shimatta), meaning "I missed the train," with an implicit feeling of regret.
〜てしまう en 30 secondes
- 〜てしまう (te shimau) adds 'completely' or 'regrettably' to a verb.
- Use it when an action is finished, or when you feel regret about it.
- Often shortens to 〜ちゃう (chau) or 〜じまう (jimau) in casual speech.
§ Understanding 「〜てしまう」 in everyday Japanese
「〜てしまう」 (teshimau) is a very common auxiliary verb in Japanese. It expresses two main nuances: completion of an action, and regret or unintended consequences. You'll hear it constantly in daily conversation, at work, at school, and in the news. Let's break down where and how it's used.
§ At Work: Completion and Mistakes
In a work context, 「〜てしまう」 is often used to report that a task has been completed or, unfortunately, that a mistake has been made.
- Completion of a task
- When you want to say something is finished, you can use 「〜てしまう」. It emphasizes that the action is done and dusted.
資料を全部読んでしまいました。(I have read all the materials completely.)
レポートは今日の午前中に提出してしまいました。(I submitted the report this morning.)
- Reporting a mistake with regret
- This is a very common usage. It indicates that something undesirable happened, and the speaker feels regret or disappointment.
締め切りをうっかり忘れてしまいました。(I accidentally forgot the deadline.)
顧客からのメールを誤って削除してしまいました。(I mistakenly deleted the email from the client.)
§ At School: Finishing homework and minor mishaps
In a school setting, students use 「〜てしまう」 to talk about finishing assignments, or perhaps more often, lamenting small errors or unfortunate events.
- Finishing school tasks
- Similar to work, it marks completion.
宿題は全部やってしまいました。(I finished all my homework.)
- Regret about school-related events
- This is common when students talk about exams, grades, or things they forgot.
テストで凡ミスをしてしまいました。(I made a silly mistake on the test.)
教科書を家に忘れてしまいました。(I left my textbook at home.)
§ In the News: Irreversible actions and complete results
In news reports, 「〜てしまう」 often highlights actions that have been completed and often have significant, sometimes negative, consequences. It conveys a sense of finality or an unfortunate outcome.
- Reporting completed incidents: News often uses this to state that an event has run its course.
事故により、橋が崩落してしまいました。(Due to the accident, the bridge collapsed.)
- Unfortunate or irreversible events: When a news story reports a bad event, 「〜てしまう」 adds to the somber tone, indicating the action cannot be undone.
多くの貴重な文化財が失われてしまいました。(Many precious cultural assets were lost.)
古いビルは完全に解体されてしまいました。(The old building was completely demolished.)
As you can see, 「〜てしまう」 is incredibly versatile. Pay attention to the context to understand if it's conveying simple completion or an added layer of regret or finality. Mastering this auxiliary verb will significantly improve your comprehension and naturalness in Japanese conversation.
§ Overusing the Regrettable Nuance
§ Confusing with Simple Past Tense
- DEFINITION
- The simple past tense (〜た/〜だ) simply states an action was completed. 〜てしまう adds emphasis on completion or regret.
ご飯を食べた。
I ate rice.
ご飯を食べてしまった。
I ate all the rice (or I regret eating the rice).
§ Incorrect Conjugation
Incorrect: 食べるしまう (taberu shimau) Correct: 食べてしまう (tabete shimau) Incorrect: 読むしまう (yomu shimau) Correct: 読んでしまう (yonde shimau)
§ Forgetting the Contracted Forms
- CONTRACTIONS
- 〜てしまう → 〜ちゃう
- 〜でしまう → 〜じゃう
宿題を忘れちゃった。
I forgot my homework (regretfully).
§ Not Understanding the Context for Regret
Le savais-tu ?
The auxiliary verb '〜てしまう' adds a sense of completion, regret, or accidental action to the main verb. It can be a bit tricky for learners because the nuance depends heavily on context.
Niveau de difficulté
Short and common kanji, or often written in hiragana.
Short and common kanji, or often written in hiragana.
Requires understanding of the て-form and its nuanced meanings of completion or regret.
Requires understanding of the て-form and its nuanced meanings of completion or regret in spoken Japanese.
Quoi apprendre ensuite
Prérequis
Apprends ensuite
Avancé
Grammaire à connaître
Use 〜てしまう to express that an action has been completed, often with a sense of finality or completion. It emphasizes that the action is done and finished.
宿題を食べてしまいました。 (I ate the homework completely.)
When 〜てしまう is used with a verb that implies an undesirable or regrettable outcome, it conveys a sense of regret, accident, or something happening against one's will. The nuance is that something bad has happened or was done unintentionally.
財布を落としてしまいました。 (I accidentally dropped my wallet.)
The casual contraction of 〜てしまう is 〜ちゃう for 〜てしまう and 〜じゃう for 〜でしまう. This is very common in spoken Japanese.
テレビを見ちゃった。 (I ended up watching TV.)
〜てしまう can also be used to express a sense of relief when an action is completed, especially if it was a difficult or tedious task.
やっとレポートを書き終えてしまいました。 (I finally finished writing the report, with a sense of relief.)
It's often translated as 'to end up doing,' 'to accidentally do,' 'to completely do,' or 'to unfortunately do,' depending on the context. Pay attention to the surrounding sentence to grasp the nuance.
ケーキを全部食べてしまいました。 (I ate the whole cake, perhaps regrettably or completely.)
Exemples par niveau
読んでしまいました。
I read [all of it].
Implies completion or unintended action.
食べてしまいました。
I ate [all of it].
Implies completion or regrettable action.
買ってしまいました。
I bought [it, perhaps regrettably].
Implies completion or regrettable action.
忘れちゃいました。
I forgot [it] (casual).
Casual form of 〜てしまいました, implies regrettable action.
なくしちゃった。
I lost [it] (casual).
Casual form of 〜てしまった, implies regrettable action.
全部飲んでしまいました。
I drank all of it.
Emphasizes completion.
宿題を忘れてしまいました。
I forgot my homework (regrettably).
Clearly indicates a regrettable action.
うっかり電車に傘を忘れてしまいました。
I accidentally left my umbrella on the train.
Implies an unintentional and regrettable action.
宿題をするのを忘れてしまいました。
I completely forgot to do my homework (and I regret it).
ケーキを全部食べてしまいました。
I ate all the cake (and now it's gone).
電車に乗り遅れてしまいました。
I missed the train (and now I'm late).
財布をなくしてしまいました。
I lost my wallet (and I'm upset about it).
昨日、たくさん飲みすぎてしまいました。
I drank too much yesterday (and I regret it).
彼女に秘密を話してしまいました。
I accidentally told her the secret.
テレビを見ながら寝てしまいました。
I fell asleep while watching TV (without intending to).
時間を忘れてゲームをしてしまいました。
I played games and lost track of time (and now I'm behind).
宿題を忘れてしまいました。
I completely forgot my homework.
Here, '〜てしまう' indicates an action that was completed, often with a nuance of regret or trouble caused by the action.
うっかり秘密を話してしまいました。
I accidentally let out the secret.
In this context, '〜てしまう' conveys regret over an unintentional action.
昨日、全部食べてしまいました。
Yesterday, I ate it all up.
This example shows '〜てしまう' indicating the completion of an action, emphasizing that nothing is left.
電車に乗り遅れてしまいました。
I missed the train (and it's unfortunate).
This use of '〜てしまう' expresses regret or a negative consequence of an action.
友達の誕生日をすっかり忘れてしまっていた。
I had completely forgotten my friend's birthday.
Here, '〜てしまっていた' shows a completed action in the past, with a feeling of regret or oversight.
この本はもう読んでしまいました。
I have already finished reading this book.
This demonstrates '〜てしまう' indicating the completion of an action, similar to 'already done'.
傘をどこかに置き忘れてきてしまいました。
I left my umbrella somewhere.
'〜てしまう' here indicates an unfortunate or regrettable action that has been completed.
結局、最後までその映画を見てしまいました。
In the end, I watched that movie all the way through.
This example shows '〜てしまう' emphasizing the completion of an action, often despite initial intentions or hesitations.
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
全部食べてしまいました。
I ate it all (regrettably).
宿題を忘れてしまった。
I forgot my homework (regrettably).
傘をなくしてしまった。
I lost my umbrella (regrettably).
うっかり言ってしまった。
I said it by mistake (regrettably).
ビールを全部飲んでしまった。
I drank all the beer (completely).
時間が経ってしまった。
Time passed (unintentionally/regrettably).
本を読んでしまった。
I finished reading the book (completely).
電車で寝てしまった。
I fell asleep on the train (unintentionally).
彼に本当のことを言ってしまった。
I told him the truth (unintentionally/regrettably).
せっかく作った料理を捨ててしまった。
I threw away the meal I went to the trouble of making (regrettably).
Modèles grammaticaux
Expressions idiomatiques
"食べちゃった (tabechatta)"
Ate it all (informal, often with a nuance of regret or completion)
ケーキを全部食べちゃった。 (Keeki o zenbu tabechatta.) - I ate all the cake.
informal"忘れちゃった (wasurechatta)"
Forgot (informal, with a nuance of regret or accidentally)
宿題を忘れちゃった。 (Shukudai o wasurechatta.) - I forgot my homework.
informal"壊しちゃった (kowashichatta)"
Broke (it) (informal, often with regret)
お皿を壊しちゃった。 (Osara o kowashichatta.) - I broke the plate.
informal"飲んでしまった (nonde shimatta)"
Drank it all (neutral/slightly formal, completion or regret)
水を全部飲んでしまった。 (Mizu o zenbu nonde shimatta.) - I drank all the water.
neutral"読んでしまった (yonde shimatta)"
Finished reading (neutral/slightly formal, completion)
本をもう読んでしまった。 (Hon o mou yonde shimatta.) - I've already finished reading the book.
neutral"言ってしまった (itte shimatta)"
Said (something one shouldn't have) (neutral/slightly formal, regret)
秘密を言ってしまった。 (Himitsu o itte shimatta.) - I accidentally revealed the secret.
neutral"なくしてしまった (nakushite shimatta)"
Lost (it) (neutral/slightly formal, regret)
鍵をなくしてしまった。 (Kagi o nakushite shimatta.) - I lost my keys.
neutral"寝てしまった (nete shimatta)"
Fell asleep (often unintentionally or regrettably) (neutral/slightly formal)
授業中に寝てしまった。 (Jugyouchuu ni nete shimatta.) - I fell asleep during class.
neutral"使ってしまった (tsukatte shimatta)"
Used it all up (neutral/slightly formal, completion or regret)
お金を全部使ってしまった。 (Okane o zenbu tsukatte shimatta.) - I used all my money.
neutral"走ってしまった (hashitte shimatta)"
Ended up running (neutral/slightly formal, often with a nuance of doing it without intending to or in a rush)
電車に間に合うように走ってしまった。 (Densha ni間にau you ni hashitte shimatta.) - I ended up running to catch the train.
neutralStructures de phrases
Verbて-form + しまう
食べた + しまう → 食べてしまう (to eat completely/regrettably)
Verbて-form + しまいました (past tense, polite)
本を読んでしまいました。(I finished reading the book.)
Verbて-form + しまった (past tense, casual)
宿題を忘れてしまった。(I forgot my homework.)
Verbて-form + しまいます (non-past, polite)
食べてしまいます。(I will eat it completely.)
Verbて-form + しまう (non-past, casual)
うっかり寝てしまう。(I'll accidentally fall asleep.)
Shortened forms: Verbて-form + ちゃう (casual)
食べちゃう (tabechau - to eat completely/regrettably, casual)
Shortened forms: Verbで-form + じゃう (casual)
飲んじゃう (nonjau - to drink completely/regrettably, casual)
Potential form: Verbて-form + しまえる
全部食べてしまえる。(I can eat it all completely.)
Astuces
What it means
〜てしまう is an auxiliary verb that attaches to the te-form of a verb. It carries two main meanings: either an action is completed, or an action is done, and the speaker feels regret or is in a predicament.
Completed action
When 〜てしまう indicates a completed action, it emphasizes that the action is finished, often thoroughly or irrevocably. Think of it as 'to do completely' or 'to finish doing.'
Completed action example
宿題を全部やってしまいました。
I finished all my homework. (The homework is completely done.)
Regretful action
When 〜てしまう indicates regret or a predicament, it suggests that something undesirable has happened or an action was done that the speaker now regrets. Think of it as 'to do regrettably' or 'to accidentally do.'
Regretful action example
財布をなくしてしまいました。
I lost my wallet. (Expresses regret or unfortunate outcome.)
Contraction: 〜ちゃう/〜じゃう
In casual speech, 〜てしまう often contracts to 〜ちゃう (after 〜て) or 〜じゃう (after 〜で). This is very common, so it's good to recognize it.
Contraction example
食べちゃった (from 食べてしまった)
I ate it all (casually, perhaps regrettably or completely).
Context is key
The specific meaning of 〜てしまう (completion vs. regret) is usually clear from the context of the sentence and the situation. Pay attention to the surrounding words and the speaker's tone.
Don't overcomplicate
Beginners sometimes struggle to differentiate the two meanings. Don't worry too much; often the nuance of 'doing completely' or 'doing unexpectedly' is enough to grasp. Practice will help you discern the subtle differences.
Practice with verbs
Try attaching 〜てしまう to various verbs you know. For example, 読む (to read) → 読んでしまう (to finish reading / to accidentally read). 書く (to write) → 書いてしまう (to finish writing / to accidentally write).
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Imagine a situation where you accidentally broke something valuable, like a vase. You might exclaim, "あー、割ってしまった!" (Ah, I've broken it!). The 'te shimau' part adds the feeling of regret or completion. So, link 'te shimau' with the feeling of 'too bad' or 'finished completely.'
Association visuelle
Picture a 'finishing line' tape that's been completely broken through, representing something being done 'completely.' Or, imagine a cartoon character with a 'sad face' after making a mistake, associating 'te shimau' with regret.
Word Web
Défi
Think of 5 things you've *finished completely* today or 5 things you *regrettably did* recently. Try to express them in Japanese using '〜てしまう'. For example: '宿題をやってしまった' (I completely finished my homework) or '電車に乗り遅れてしまった' (I regrettably missed the train).
Origine du mot
From the verb '仕舞う' (shimau), meaning 'to finish' or 'to put away.'
Sens originel : To finish something completely.
JaponicContexte culturel
In Japanese, expressing regret or that something happened accidentally is very common. '〜てしまう' is a versatile way to convey these feelings, often used when something undesirable has happened, or when an action has been completed in a way that implies finality. It's an important part of sounding natural in everyday Japanese conversation.
Pratique dans la vie réelle
Contextes réels
Finishing a task completely
- 宿題をやってしまいました。(I finished my homework completely.)
- 食べてしまいました。(I ate it all up.)
- 読んでしまいました。(I read it all the way through.)
Doing something regrettably or by accident
- 財布を忘れてしまいました。(I accidentally left my wallet.)
- うっかり言ってしまいました。(I accidentally said it.)
- 電車に乗り遅れてしまいました。(I missed the train, unfortunately.)
Something happening unexpectedly or completely (often negative)
- 壊れてしまいました。(It broke completely.)
- 雨が降ってしまいました。(It started raining, unfortunately.)
- 時間がなくなってしまいました。(Time ran out completely.)
Expressing regret for a past action
- 全部使ってしまいました。(I ended up using it all.)
- 言ってはいけないことを言ってしまいました。(I said something I shouldn't have.)
- 約束を破ってしまいました。(I broke my promise.)
Finishing something quickly or without much thought
- すぐに終わってしまいました。(It finished quickly.)
- あっという間に時間が過ぎてしまいました。(Time passed in a blink of an eye.)
- 簡単にやってしまいました。(I did it easily.)
Amorces de conversation
"最近、何か「〜てしまった」ことはありますか? (Have you done anything completely or regrettably recently?)"
"もしタイムマシンがあったら、何を「やり直してしまいたい」ですか? (If you had a time machine, what would you want to 'redo completely'?)"
"うっかり「〜てしまった」面白い経験はありますか? (Do you have any interesting experiences where you 'accidentally did something'?)"
"何か「〜てしまう」と後悔することってありますか? (Is there anything you 'end up doing' and regret?)"
"週末に何か「やり終えてしまいたい」ことはありますか? (Is there anything you 'want to finish completely' this weekend?)"
Sujets d'écriture
昨日、何か「〜てしまった」ことについて書いてみましょう。 (Write about something you 'ended up doing' yesterday.)
もし時間を巻き戻せるなら、何を「やり直してしまいたい」ですか?その理由も書いてみましょう。 (If you could turn back time, what would you 'want to redo completely'? Write about the reason too.)
あなたが「うっかり〜てしまった」経験を詳しく書いてみましょう。 (Write in detail about an experience where you 'accidentally did something'.)
未来の自分に、「〜てしまうな」と忠告したいことは何ですか? (What advice would you want to give your future self, telling them 'don't end up doing something'?)
何かを「やり終えてしまって」達成感を感じた経験について書いてみましょう。 (Write about an experience where you 'finished something completely' and felt a sense of accomplishment.)
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsThe basic meaning of 〜てしまう is to indicate that an action has been completed, often with a sense of finality or thoroughness. It can also imply a sense of regret or something happening unintentionally.
You attach 〜てしまう to the te-form of a verb. For example, 食べます (tabemasu) becomes 食べてしまいます (tabete shimaimasu).
Sure! 全部食べてしまいました。 (Zenbu tabete shimaimashita.) This means 'I ate it all completely.' or 'I finished eating everything.'
When 〜てしまう expresses regret, it implies that something undesirable happened or that you did something you shouldn't have. For example, 宿題を忘れてしまいました。 (Shukudai o wasurete shimaimashita.) This means 'I regrettably forgot my homework.'
Yes, there's a subtle but important difference. While the plain past tense simply states an action occurred, 〜てしまう adds an extra layer of meaning, such as completion, finality, or regret. 本を読んだ (Hon o yonda) means 'I read a book.' 本を読んでしまった (Hon o yonde shimatta) could mean 'I finished reading the book completely' or 'I regrettably read the book (when I shouldn't have).'
No, not always! While it often implies regret or something unintentional, it can also just emphasize the completion of an action. For example, レポートを書き上げてしまいました。 (Repooto o kakiagete shimaimashita.) This means 'I finished writing the report completely,' which is usually a good thing!
The casual form of 〜てしまう is 〜ちゃう (chau). So, 食べてしまう (tabete shimau) becomes 食べちゃう (tabechau). This is very common in informal conversation.
Yes, you can. It would express regret or completion related to not doing something. For example, やらなかった。 (Yaranakatta.) 'I didn't do it.' やってしまわなかった。 (Yatte shimawanakatta.) 'I regrettably didn't do it (when I should have).'
Both indicate completion, but 〜てしまう often carries the nuance of thoroughness, finality, or an emotional element (regret/unintentional). 〜終わる simply means 'to finish doing' something. So, 宿題を終えました。 (Shukudai o oemashita.) means 'I finished my homework.' 宿題をしてしまいました。 (Shukudai o shite shimaimashita.) could imply 'I finished my homework completely,' or even 'I regrettably did my homework (when I didn't want to!).'
Yes, one common phrase is 〜てしまってもいいですか? (Te shimatte mo ii desu ka?) meaning 'Is it okay if I finish/do this completely?' Also, in casual speech, you'll hear 〜ちゃった (chatta) a lot, which is the casual past tense of 〜ちゃう (chau) and often implies regret, like 忘れちゃった (wasurechatta) - 'I forgot (regrettably).'
Teste-toi 90 questions
私はリンゴを全部食べ___。
The auxiliary verb 〜てしまう indicates that an action has been completed, often with a sense of regret or finality. In this context, it means 'I ate all the apples completely.'
宿題を忘れ___。
Here, 〜てしまいました expresses regret or an unwanted completion of an action. 'I forgot my homework (regrettably).'
昨日、財布をなくし___。
This sentence uses 〜てしまった to show regret or an unfortunate outcome. 'Yesterday, I lost my wallet (regrettably).'
ケーキを全部一人で食べ___。
The usage of 〜てしまった here implies the complete consumption of the cake, potentially with a nuance of having eaten too much. 'I ate the whole cake by myself.'
電車に乗り遅れ___。
This expresses regret over missing the train. 'I missed the train (regrettably).'
テストで間違え___。
Using 〜てしまいました conveys regret about making mistakes on a test. 'I made mistakes on the test (regrettably).'
I forgot my homework.
I ate all the cake.
I missed the train.
Read this aloud:
財布をなくしてしまいました。
Focus: nakushite shimaimashita
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
うっかり秘密を話してしまいました。
Focus: ukkari himitsu o hanashite shimaimashita
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
バスを間違えてしまいました。
Focus: basu o machigaete shimaimashita
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Write a short sentence about something you finished completely, like eating all your food. Use a plain Japanese sentence.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私はご飯を全部食べました。
Write a simple sentence in Japanese about breaking something by accident. Don't worry about ~てしまう yet, just express breaking.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私はお皿を壊しました。
Imagine you lost your key. Write a short Japanese sentence saying 'I lost my key'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私は鍵をなくしました。
What did I do?
Read this passage:
私は犬と遊びました。楽しかったです。
What did I do?
犬 (inu) means dog, and 遊びました (asobimashita) means played.
犬 (inu) means dog, and 遊びました (asobimashita) means played.
What is described as interesting?
Read this passage:
これは私の本です。とても面白いです。
What is described as interesting?
本 (hon) means book, and 面白い (omoshiroi) means interesting.
本 (hon) means book, and 面白い (omoshiroi) means interesting.
What did I do yesterday?
Read this passage:
昨日、友達と映画を見ました。楽しかったです。
What did I do yesterday?
昨日 (kinou) means yesterday, 友達 (tomodachi) means friend, and 映画を見ました (eiga o mimashita) means watched a movie.
昨日 (kinou) means yesterday, 友達 (tomodachi) means friend, and 映画を見ました (eiga o mimashita) means watched a movie.
財布を忘れて___。 (I completely forgot my wallet.)
The past tense of てしまう is てしまった, indicating a completed action with regret.
宿題を全部やって___。 (I finished all my homework completely.)
The plain form of 〜てしまう is used to express completing an action.
ケーキを全部食べて___。 (I regrettably ate all the cake.)
〜てしまった is used to express regret about an action that has been completed.
約束を忘れて___。 (I forgot the appointment, unfortunately.)
〜てしまった is used to indicate an action that was completed, often with a sense of regret or misfortune.
この本を今日中に読んで___。 (I need to finish reading this book by the end of today.)
〜てしまう can also indicate an intention to complete an action thoroughly.
電車に乗り遅れて___。 (I missed the train, oh no!)
〜てしまった is used for actions that are completed and have an undesirable outcome or cause regret.
Choose the best English translation for: 「ケーキを全部食べてしまった。」
〜てしまう here indicates that the action was completed, but with a feeling of regret or unintended consequence. While 'I ate all the cake' is technically correct, the nuance of 〜てしまう leans towards the regretful completion.
Which sentence expresses a sense of accidental completion?
「宿題をしてしまいました。」 (Shukudai o shite shimaimashita) implies 'I accidentally or regretfully did my homework.' The 〜てしまう form adds this nuance of unintended or complete action.
How would you express 'I drank all the water completely' with a hint of regret?
「水を飲んでしまいます。」 (Mizu o nonde shimaimasu) uses 〜てしまう to convey the complete action of drinking all the water, often with a nuance of regret or a slightly unintended outcome.
「本を読んでしまった。」 (Hon o yonde shimatta) means 'I finished reading the book, perhaps a bit too quickly or without realizing it.'
This is true. 〜てしまう can indicate an action was completed fully, sometimes with a feeling of having done something without intention or having done it too fast.
If you say 「財布を忘れてしまった。」 (Saifu o wasurete shimatta), it means you intentionally forgot your wallet.
This is false. 〜てしまう here indicates an accidental or regrettable action, so forgetting the wallet was unintentional and likely causes an inconvenience.
Using 「〜てしまう」 always implies a negative feeling or regret.
While it often implies regret or an unintended outcome, 〜てしまう can also simply emphasize the completion of an action, especially when it's done quickly or thoroughly, without necessarily being negative.
I forgot to do my homework (regrettably).
I ate the whole cake (completely).
I lost my wallet (regrettably).
Read this aloud:
傘を電車に忘れてしまいました。
Focus: わすれてしまいました (wasurete shimaimashita)
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
昨日、新しい本を読んでしまいました。
Focus: よんでしまいました (yonde shimaimashita)
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
パスポートを家に置いてきてしまいました。
Focus: おいてきてしまいました (oitekite shimaimashita)
Tu as dit :
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This sentence means 'I completely forgot my homework.' or 'I regretfully forgot my homework.' It uses the 〜てしまう form to express completion or regret.
This sentence means 'I ate the whole cake (completely).' or 'I regretfully ate the whole cake.' It uses 〜てしまう to indicate the action was done completely, possibly with a sense of regret.
This sentence means 'I missed the train (regrettably).' The 〜てしまう form here expresses regret about missing the train.
Choose the best English translation for: 「うっかり宿題を忘れてしまいました。」
「〜てしまう」 can indicate an action was completed, often with a sense of regret or accidental completion. Here, 'うっかり' (carelessly) reinforces the accidental nature.
Which sentence uses 「〜てしまう」 to express regret?
Eating 'all' the cake (全部) often implies a feeling of regret or having done something that perhaps shouldn't have been done, even if it's just a small indulgence.
How would you express 'I accidentally broke the plate' using 「〜てしまう」?
The 'てしまう' form with the past tense (しまいました) conveys the completed action with an often implied sense of regret or accident.
The sentence 「宿題をやってしまいました。」 always means 'I regret doing my homework.'
While '〜てしまう' can express regret, it also frequently expresses the complete finishing of an action. So, it could simply mean 'I completely finished my homework.' The nuance depends on context.
「〜てしまう」 can indicate that an action was done completely or thoroughly.
Yes, '〜てしまう' often emphasizes the completion of an action, leaving nothing undone.
In casual speech, 「〜てしまう」 is sometimes shortened to 「〜ちゃう」 or 「〜じゃう」.
This is a common colloquial contraction. For example, 「食べてしまう」 becomes 「食べちゃう」.
財布を電車の中に忘れ___。
The auxiliary verb '〜てしまう' indicates an action completed, often with a sense of regret or accidental completion. Here, it expresses regret over forgetting a wallet.
宿題が終わらなくて、結局ゲームをして___。
In this context, '〜てしまう' shows that the action (playing a game) was completed, despite the user having homework to do, implying a sense of regret or an unintended outcome.
うっかり秘密をみんなに話し___。
The phrase 'うっかり' (carelessly) combined with '〜てしまった' emphasizes the accidental and regrettable nature of revealing a secret.
大切な書類を誤って捨て___。
This sentence uses '〜てしまう' to convey the unfortunate and completed action of accidentally throwing away important documents.
気がついたら、もうこんな時間___。
Here, '〜てしまった' indicates that time passed quickly and unexpectedly, reaching a later hour than intended, often with a sense of mild surprise or regret.
ケーキ、全部食べ___。
This sentence uses '〜てしまいました' to express that the entire cake was eaten, often implying a sense of having finished it all, or perhaps a slight regret if it was meant to be shared.
This sentence means 'I forgot my homework (and I regret it).' The '〜てしまう' indicates regret or an action completed.
This sentence means 'I carelessly ended up telling the secret.' 'ついうっかり' (carelessly/unintentionally) emphasizes the regrettable nature of the action.
This sentence means 'I ate all the cake (completely).' Here, '〜てしまう' emphasizes the completion of the action.
財布を電車の中に忘れ___。
The auxiliary verb '〜てしまう' indicates an action completed, often with a sense of regret or accidental completion. Here, forgetting a wallet on the train is something that has unfortunately happened.
うっかり秘密を話___。
'〜てしまう' here conveys the accidental or regrettable action of having told a secret.
宿題を全部やって___。
The volitional form of '〜てしまう' ('〜てしまおう') expresses the intention to complete an action thoroughly, often with a sense of getting it over with. In this case, 'let's finish all the homework.'
パソコンが壊れて___。
Here, '〜てしまった' indicates that the computer has broken completely, implying a completed and often regrettable state.
彼は、もう寝て___。
'〜てしまった' signifies that the action of sleeping is fully completed. Depending on context, it could imply 'he has already fallen asleep (and it's too late to talk to him)' or simply 'he has finished sleeping.'
ケーキを全部食べ___。
'〜てしまった' indicates that the action of eating all the cake is completed, often with a nuance of regret (e.g., 'I ate it all up!').
The speaker forgot homework yesterday.
The speaker finished reading the entire book.
He finally revealed the secret.
Read this aloud:
電車に傘を忘れてしまいました。
Focus: てしまいました
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
プロジェクトを完璧に終わらせてしまいましょう。
Focus: てしまいましょう
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
コーヒーを全部飲んでしまって、もうありません。
Focus: てしまって
Tu as dit :
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You were supposed to finish a major report by today, but you got distracted and couldn't complete it. Write a short apology email to your boss, explaining what happened and using 〜てしまう to express regret about not finishing the report.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
〇〇部長 お疲れ様です。 本日提出予定のレポートですが、集中できず、完成させることができませんでした。大変申し訳ございません。明日の午前中には必ず提出いたします。 田中
Describe a time when you accidentally broke something valuable belonging to someone else. Use 〜てしまう to convey the accidental and regrettable nature of your action. Explain what you broke and how you felt.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
先日、友達の家に遊びに行った時、誤って大切な花瓶を割ってしまいました。本当に申し訳ない気持ちでいっぱいです。もっと注意していればと後悔しています。
Imagine you are trying to learn a new skill, but you often find yourself procrastinating or giving up too easily. Write a short journal entry reflecting on this habit, using 〜てしまう to describe your tendency to quit.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
新しいプログラミング言語を勉強しているのに、少し難しいとすぐに諦めてしまいます。本当に悪い癖です。もっと頑張らなければいけないと分かっているのに、ついサボってしまうんです。
Aさんはどのような癖がありますか?
Read this passage:
Aさんは、仕事で疲れていると、ついつい夜更かしをしてしまう癖がある。次の日、体調が悪くても、なかなかこの習慣をやめることができない。このままだと、いつか健康を損なってしまうかもしれないと心配している。
Aさんはどのような癖がありますか?
文章の「仕事で疲れていると、ついつい夜更かしをしてしまう癖がある」から、Aさんが疲れているときに夜更かしをしてしまう癖があることが分かります。
文章の「仕事で疲れていると、ついつい夜更かしをしてしまう癖がある」から、Aさんが疲れているときに夜更かしをしてしまう癖があることが分かります。
Bさんはなぜ慌てましたか?
Read this passage:
Bさんは、大事な会議の資料を家に忘れてきてしまい、会社で大慌て。幸い、同僚がすぐに家まで取りに行ってくれたため、会議には間に合ったが、Bさんは自分の不注意に深く反省した。このようなミスは二度と繰り返さないと心に誓った。
Bさんはなぜ慌てましたか?
文章の「大事な会議の資料を家に忘れてきてしまい、会社で大慌て」から、Bさんが資料を家に忘れてきてしまったために慌てたことが分かります。
文章の「大事な会議の資料を家に忘れてきてしまい、会社で大慌て」から、Bさんが資料を家に忘れてきてしまったために慌てたことが分かります。
Cさんは何について後悔していますか?
Read this passage:
Cさんは、新しいスマートフォンを購入したが、説明書をよく読まずに操作してしまい、いくつかの設定を間違えてしまった。後で使い方を調べ直すのに時間がかかり、少し後悔している。やはり、どんなに急いでいても、最初に説明書を読むべきだったと反省した。
Cさんは何について後悔していますか?
文章の「説明書をよく読まずに操作してしまい、いくつかの設定を間違えてしまった。後で使い方を調べ直すのに時間がかかり、少し後悔している。」から、Cさんが説明書を読まずに操作したことを後悔していることが分かります。
文章の「説明書をよく読まずに操作してしまい、いくつかの設定を間違えてしまった。後で使い方を調べ直すのに時間がかかり、少し後悔している。」から、Cさんが説明書を読まずに操作したことを後悔していることが分かります。
Choose the sentence where「〜てしまう」expresses regret.
「うっかり秘密を話してしまいました」implies regret over accidentally revealing a secret. The other options describe completion.
Which sentence uses「〜てしまう」to indicate a completed action with no particular emotional nuance?
「レポートを書き上げてしまいました」simply states that the report was finished. The other options suggest a negative outcome or regret.
Select the most natural translation for: 'I ended up buying too many snacks.'
「〜てしまう」is used here to express that the action of buying too many snacks happened somewhat unintentionally or with a slight sense of regret/completion, which aligns with 'ended up buying'.
In the sentence「バスに乗り遅れてしまった」, 「〜てしまう」conveys a sense of regret or misfortune.
「バスに乗り遅れてしまった」clearly expresses regret or an unfortunate outcome of missing the bus.
The phrase「宿題を全部やってしまった」can only mean 'I regrettably did all my homework'.
「宿題を全部やってしまった」can also mean 'I completely finished all my homework', implying thorough completion without regret, depending on context.
If you want to emphasize that an action was completed thoroughly and entirely, 「〜てしまう」is an appropriate auxiliary verb.
「〜てしまう」can indeed be used to emphasize that an action was completed thoroughly or entirely, for example, 「全部食べてしまった」(I ate it all up).
This sentence means 'Since I've completely finished my homework, I can go out and play now.' It shows completion.
This sentence means 'I accidentally told the secret and I regret it.' It expresses regret.
This sentence means 'It's a shame that he completely forgot the promise.' It implies a negative outcome or regret regarding the forgetfulness.
/ 90 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Use 〜てしまう to express that an action was done entirely or with a sense of regret or finality.
- 〜てしまう (te shimau) adds 'completely' or 'regrettably' to a verb.
- Use it when an action is finished, or when you feel regret about it.
- Often shortens to 〜ちゃう (chau) or 〜じまう (jimau) in casual speech.
What it means
〜てしまう is an auxiliary verb that attaches to the te-form of a verb. It carries two main meanings: either an action is completed, or an action is done, and the speaker feels regret or is in a predicament.
Completed action
When 〜てしまう indicates a completed action, it emphasizes that the action is finished, often thoroughly or irrevocably. Think of it as 'to do completely' or 'to finish doing.'
Completed action example
宿題を全部やってしまいました。
I finished all my homework. (The homework is completely done.)
Regretful action
When 〜てしまう indicates regret or a predicament, it suggests that something undesirable has happened or an action was done that the speaker now regrets. Think of it as 'to do regrettably' or 'to accidentally do.'
Exemple
ケーキを全部食べてしまった。
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