Meaning
~てたまらない expresses an intense, unbearable feeling or desire that one cannot tolerate or control. It is stronger and more emphatic than ~てたまらない's milder counterpart. The pattern attaches to verb te-form, i-adjective (~くて), or na-adjective (~で) to intensify the emotion or desire to an extreme level.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 动词(て形) | たまらない |
| い形容词(…い→)くて | たまらない |
| な形容词 で | たまらない |
Examples
-
外は暑すぎて、冷たいものを飲みたくてたまらない。
It's so hot outside that I desperately want to drink something cold. -
母の病気が心配でたまらない。
I am extremely worried about my mother's illness. -
昨日泊まっていたホテルは、きれいでアクセスもよく、便利だったけど、外の自動車の音がうるさくてたまらなかった。
The hotel I stayed at yesterday was clean with good access and convenient, but the car noise outside was unbearably loud.
Summary
- Use ~てたまらない to express emotions or desires that are intense and hard to bear
- Formation: verb (te-form) + たまらない; i-adjective (~くて) + たまらない; na-adjective (~で) + たまらない
- More emphatic than regular expressions, showing extreme intensity or inability to endure a situation