N2197/217

てたまらない

Vて + たまらないい-adjective (root) + くて + たまらないな-adjective + で + たまらない

Meanings

  • Can't help but want to
  • Very; extremely (to feel strong emotion or desire)
  • Be overwhelmed with; be unbearable (emotion or sensation)

About this pattern

Explanation

てたまらない is used to express an intense feeling or strong desire that the speaker cannot bear or suppress. It conveys a sense of being overwhelmed by the emotion, such as extreme happiness, longing, pain, or desire. The pattern attaches to a preceding verb or adjective in its te-form (or appropriate connective form) and ends with たまらない to emphasize the unbearable or overwhelming nature of the feeling. Use it when you want to convey a vivid, almost uncontainable emotion, often in personal, subjective statements. It is more emotional than milder expressions like すごく or とても and can come across as dramatic in casual speech. Typical contexts include expressing longing for something/someone, intense eagerness, or intense discomfort.

Learn in context

Example sentences

彼女の声を聞いて、嬉しくてたまらない。

Hearing her voice, I'm so happy I can't stand it.

この絵は美しすぎて、見ていられなくてたまらない。

This painting is so beautiful I can't take my eyes off it.

早く日本へ帰りたくてたまらない。

I want to go back to Japan so badly I can't wait.

彼の話が面白くてたまらない。

His story is so interesting that I can't get enough of it.

今日は眠くてたまらない。

I'm so sleepy today I can hardly stand it.

この映画をもう一度見たくてたまらない。

I want to see this movie again so badly.