Grammar Info
N3 Lesson 4: 6/21

余(あま)りに
so much...that, (way) too...

Adverbial あまり

Structure
あまり(1) + (2)+ Adjective
あまり(1) + (2) + Adverb
あまり(1) + + Noun

(1) あんまり
(2) にも
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
Being the adverbial form of 余(あま)る ‘excess’, あまりに is a grammar structure that is used to convey an ‘excessive’ amount of something that caused a certain result. あまりに will almost always be used in sentences expressing some sort of surprise/shock about the degree of (A). Often, あまりに is translated simple as ‘so much (A) that (B)’, or ‘way too much (A)'.
  • 今日(きょう)仕事(しごと)はあまりに楽(らく)過(す)ぎて仕事(しごと)した感(かん)じない
    Work today was so easy that I don't feel like I worked at all.
  • 今朝(けさ)は会社(かいしゃ)にあまりに遅(おそ)く着(つ)いたため、先輩(せんぱい)怒(おこ)られた。
    I got to the company so late that I was yelled at by my senpai.
  • 彼女(かのじょ)はあまり恐怖(きょうふ)、声(こえ)あげて叫(さけ)んだ。
    She was so scared that she screamed out loud.
In the last example, we can see that あまり will be followed by の when linked to a noun. Occasionally, にも will be used instead of . This just emphasizes the ‘excess’ of (A) further.
  • 友達(ともだち)話(はな)しがあまりにもつまらなくて途中(とちゅう)からほとんど聞(き)いてなかった
    My friend's story was so boring that I stopped paying attention halfway.
As the literal meaning of あまりに is quite close to ‘excessively’, it may be easier to remember this translation, rather than ‘so much (A) that (B)’. Usually, ‘it is excessively (A), so (B)’ will cover most possible nuances.
Caution
あんまり is a colloquial variant of あまり that is often said, but should be avoided in any form of formal/official writing.
  • トマトはあんまり好(す)きじゃない。
    I don't like tomatoes too much.
  • この映画(えいが)はあんまりおもしろくなかったね。
    This movie wasn't excessively interesting.
Slow Male
Hide All
Hide Japanese
Hide English
あまりに早(はや)く着(つ)いてしまった。
I unfortunately arrived too early.
Play  
そのケーキあまりに大(おお)きすぎて、食(た)べられない。
That cake is too big to eat.
Play  
彼(かれ)らはあまりに忙(いそが)しそうにみえたから、声(こえ)をかけるのをやめた。
They looked far too busy, so I decided to not talk to them.
Play  
Online
Japanese Stack Exchange
Japanese Stack Exchange
Books
Tobira
Page 309