Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 1: 11/22

余(あま)りSo much...that

Structure

Verb + あまり + (Negative Result) Phrase
［い］Adjective［さ］+ の + あまり + (Negative Result) Phrase
［い］Adjective［み］+ の + あまり + (Negative Result) Phrase
［な］Adjective + な + あまり + (Negative Result) Phrase
Noun + の + あまり + (Negative Result) Phrase

Details

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About あまり

As a noun, あまり means 'excess', and refers to an amount of something that is in surplus. This noun is quite often used after many different types of words, to indicate that something happened/exists to an excessive degree (which then resulted in something negative occurring). By itself, 余(あま)り is not negative. However, this grammar point can be thought of as a set phrase that is generally used in negative situations.

To use あまり, you will need to attach it to the end of the following structures. A verb, an い-Adjective (that has been turned into a noun through the use of さ or み) followed by の, a な-Adjective followed by な, or a noun followed by の. Then, after あまり, a (B) phrase will highlight what the negative result was.

Caution

The tense of the overall sentence will be dependent on the first clause. Therefore, it is common to see the verb before あまり being used in several different tenses.

  • 先輩(せんぱい)は飲(の)み会(かい)でお酒(さけ)を沢山(たくさん)飲(の)んだあまり、一人(ひとり)で帰(かえ)ることができなかった。
    Senpai drank so much at the party that he couldn't get home by himself.
  • 最近(さいきん)彼女(かのじょ)と別(わか)れた友達(ともだち)を心配(しんぱい)するあまり、友達(ともだち)の話(はな)しを聞(き)きに行(い)った。
    I was so worried about my friend, who has broken up with his girlfriend recently, that I went to his place to listen to him vent.
  • 社長(しゃちょう)は社員(しゃいん)全員(ぜんいん)に恐(おそ)れられているあまり、誰(だれ)も社長(しゃちょう)の提案(ていあん)を否定(ひてい)しない。
    The CEO of our company is so feared by all of the workers that no one will criticize his decisions.

Examples

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    トムは驚(おどろ)きの余(あま)り、何(なに)も言(い)えなかった。

    Tom was so surprised that he was speechless.

    美味(おい)しさの余(あま)り、食(た)べ飽(あ)きることはない。

    It is so delicious that I can never get tired of eating it.

    悲(かな)しさの余(あま)り、言葉(ことば)を失(うしな)った。

    I was so distraught that I was at a loss for words.

    苦(くる)しさの余(あま)り、大(おお)きな声(こえ)を出(だ)してしまった。

    The pain was so unbearable that I shouted out loud.

    喜(よろこ)びの余(あま)り、涙(なみだ)がとまらない。

    I am so overjoyed that I cannot stop crying.

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あまり – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (20 in total)

  • casual

    casual

    楽しみ is such a confusing word if you think about it too much. Dictionaries also list it as a noun in addition to な-adjective, and there are usages like 楽しみの一つ、楽しみのために、楽しみの方が that place it as a noun.
    I think it has something to do with expectation of enjoyment vs just enjoyment in vacuum? But not sure.

    I’m just glad this sentence no longer uses 「楽しみさ」

  • Isurandil492

    Isurandil492

    So, the issue is that it is not a form of 楽しい, but a word on its own. How would that sentence have to look if we were to use 楽しい?

  • steffuld

    steffuld

    Interesting how this compares to ほど. It looks like they both have “to the extent that” meaning, and the only thing changing seems to be the order of the reason and the result clauses. Very convenient

    苦しさの余り、大きな声を出してしまった。

    大きな声を出してしまうほど、苦しかった。

    These two seem to mean the same thing to me.

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