Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 10: 3/33

に堪(た)えないCannot bear to, Cannot stand to, Too much to, Cannot go on doing, Cannot tolerate

Can be written as に堪えない、に耐えない

Structure

Verb + に堪(た)えない
Adverb + に堪(た)えない

Details

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About に堪えない

に堪(た)えない is a construction that will translate as ‘to not be able to bear (A)’, or ‘to not be able to tolerate (A)’. It is a mix of the case-marking particle に, and the negatived form of the る-Verb 堪(た)える ‘to tolerate’, 堪(た)えない.

In this meaning, に堪(た)えない will be used following verbs. This is in contrast to the に堪(た)えない grammar point that follows nouns, and means ‘to be very (A)’, but is more literally ‘to be so (A) I can’t stand it’.

Although 堪(た)える will be used more often than other kanji that have the same reading and similar meanings, this is not always the case. Occasionally 耐(た)える ‘to withstand’ will be used when the emphasis is on the ability to endure (A), while 絶(た)える ‘to discontinue’, or ‘to peter out’ will be used when the emphasis is on not being able to suppress (A). For 絶(た)える, this is especially used in the case of strong feelings.

Caution

The affirmative form of に堪(た)える may also be used to express that something is ‘worth doing’. A closer interpretation of this would be similar to an English phrase like ‘to be passable for (A)’. Rather than meaning that something is particularly suitable, it just highlights that it also acceptably falls in the category of (A), despite not being intended for it, or perhaps not expected.

  • この漫画(まんが)は内容(ないよう)がとてもよく、大人(おとな)でも読(よ)むに堪(た)える。
    This manga is worth reading, even for an adult, because it is well written.
  • やっと公開(こうかい)するに堪(た)える音楽(おんがく)ができました！
    I have finally made a song that is worth publishing!

Examples

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    くりやまさんの歌声(うたごえ)は酷(ひど)すぎて聞(き)くに堪(た)えなかった。

    Kuriyama-san's singing voice was so terrible that I couldn't bear to listen.

    このホラー映画(えいが)には正視(せいし)に堪(た)えない、すごく残虐(ざんぎゃく)なシーンが多(おお)い。

    In this horror movie, there are so many brutal scenes that I cannot bear to watch it.

    最近(さいきん)、新聞(しんぶん)で悪(わる)いニュースばかりが続(つづ)いているから読(よ)むに堪(た)えない。

    With all the bad news in the newspaper lately, I cannot bear to read it.

    嘘(うそ)をついてばかりいる政治家(せいじか)のインタビューはもう聞(き)くに堪(た)えない。

    I can't tolerate listening to interviews with politicians who tell nothing but lies.

    中(ちゅう)二(に)病(びょう)のころ撮(と)った写真(しゃしん)は恥(は)ずかしすぎて見(み)るに堪(た)えないから消(け)した。

    The photos I took when I was in my 'look at me' stage were so embarrassing that I couldn't bear to look at them, so I deleted them.

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      に堪えない – Grammar Discussion

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      • Flupply

        Flupply

        What’s the difference to にたまらない? Are they interchangeable?

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