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JLPT N2Grammar
~てしょうがない/しかたがない

cannot help, extremely

Beginner
15-20 min
very common
Checked against our selection criteria

Explanation

Expresses uncontrollable feeling or situation.

Formation

[Verb て form/Adj] + てしょうがない/しかたがない

Examples

眠くてしょうがない。

Nemukute shouganai.

I'm extremely sleepy.

彼のことが心配でしかたがない。

Kare no koto ga shinpai de shikata ga nai.

I can't help but worry about him.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Similar to てたまらない.

Study Tips

Memory Aids

  • •No way/method to do anything about it

Practice Tips

Very common in conversation.

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