切れない | Grammar

Structure

[verb ます-stem] + 切れない [verb ます-stem] + 切れる

Description

切れない goes on a verb's ます-stem and means you can't do all of something: more food than you can finish, more stars than you can count. It is the negative of きれる切れる, "can do completely", which is the potential of きる切る.

、。

There's so much, I can't eat it all by myself.

、。

This book is so thick that I can't finish reading it in one week.

、。

There was too much, so I couldn't drink it all.

The verb is in the ます-stem, not the dictionary form: ×食べる切れない. 切れない conjugates like any ない-form: きれなかった切れなかった, きれません切れません, きれませんでした切れませんでした. It is often written in kana, たべ食べきれない.

食べ切れない or 食べられない

切れない says the action is possible but there is too much of it to get to the end. The plain potential, たべられない食べられない, says you can't do it at all – because of an allergy, a dislike, or the food being inedible.

、。

This cake is too big for me to finish.

。

I can't eat eggs.

× 卵は食べ切れない (for an allergy) → 卵は食べられない

数え切れないほど

, "so many you can't count them", works like English "countless". Before a noun it takes .

。

Her good qualities are too many to count.

。

Countless stars are shining in the sky.

Usage notes

These go beyond too much to finish.

The positive, 切れる

Without the negative, the pattern says you can get through all of it.

。

I can finish reading this book in one day.

Words and feelings

With verbs of saying and expressing, the meaning is "can't put all of it into words": あらわし表しきれない切れない, かたり語りきれない切れない. いいきれない言い切れない is different: いいきる言い切る means "state flatly", so 言い切れない is "can't say for certain".

。

My gratitude toward him cannot be fully expressed in words.

。

I can't say for certain that it is right.

Examples

、。

There was too much food, so I couldn't eat it all.

、。

This book is so thick that I can't finish reading it in one week.

。

Countless stars are shining in the sky.

、。

I received too many souvenirs and can't carry them all.

、。

I can't say for certain, but I think it'll probably be fine.

、。

I went on a trip without being able to use up all the ingredients in the fridge.

。

It's a theme park so big that you can't see it all in one day.

。

I can't finish this job by myself.

。

My gratitude toward him cannot be fully expressed in words.

、。

I bought too much and couldn't carry it all by myself.

、。

There was too much alcohol, and I couldn't drink it all.

。

Her charm cannot be fully described in a single word.

References

切れないBunpro