Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 10
Too busy
〜にかまけて ・ 〜まくる ・ 〜ってば/〜ったら ・ 〜ではあるまいし ・ 〜ほうがましだ
In this lesson, you will learn to say you were so wrapped up in one thing that you neglected another with 〜に かまけて, to say you did something like mad with 〜まくる, to call a friend out or insist with 〜ったら and 〜ってば, to tell someone 'you're not a child' with 〜じゃ あるまいし, and to pick the less bad of two choices with 〜ほうが ましだ. It is June, and Lisa has been working so late that she has stopped answering her friends.
By the end you will be able to say
仕事に かまけて、友達に 返事して いませんでした。I was so wrapped up in work that I didn't reply to my friends.
今月は 毎日 残業しまくりです。This month it's been overtime like mad, every day.
リサったら、また 残業？Honestly, Lisa, overtime again?
子どもじゃ あるまいし、ご飯くらい 食べなさい。You're not a child. At least eat your meals.
仕事が 遅れるより、残業した ほうが ましです。Staying late beats falling behind with my work.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜に かまけて — so wrapped up in (something) that — A noun + に かまけて says you were so caught up in one thing that you neglected something else.
- 〜まくる — to do like mad; over and over — A verb's ます-stem + まくる says an action went on and on, without holding back.
- 〜ったら / 〜ってば — honestly, (you)! / I told you! — After a name, ったら calls someone out with mock impatience; at the end of a sentence, ってば insists 'I told you!'
- 〜じゃ あるまいし — it's not as if you were — A noun + じゃ あるまいし (written: では あるまいし) says 'you're not X, so' before telling someone what they ought to do.
- 〜ほうが ましだ — would be better (of two bad choices) — A plain form + ほうが ましだ picks the less bad of two unwelcome choices.