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N4

てしまう・ちゃう

To do something by accident, To finish completely・totally, Unfortunately

私わたしはすぐに道みちに迷まよってしまう。

Unfortunately, I easily get lost.

Explanation

「てしまう・ちゃう」 has 2 uses

1Doing it completely

Finishing something completely: 「宿題を全部やってしまった」 I finished all my homework.

よし!誰だれも食たべないなら、僕ぼくが食たべてしまおう。

Right! If no one's going to eat it, I'll finish it off.

今日きょうは冬ふゆ休やすみの宿題しゅくだいを全部ぜんぶしてしまおう。

Today I'm going to get all my winter-break homework done.

2Regret, by accident

Something you didn't want happened, and you regret it: 「財布を落としてしまった」 I lost my wallet.

傘かさを忘わすれてしまった。

I forgot my umbrella.

私わたしはすぐに道みちに迷まよってしまう。

Unfortunately, I easily get lost.

Mixed up with

Use the context to tell 'finished' from 'regret'. If 「ワインを全部飲んでしまった」 is followed by 「美味しかった」, you simply drank it all. If it is followed by 「頭が痛い」, you drank too much and regret it.

Listening tests love the contracted forms. Know which full form matches 「〜ちゃう/〜じゃう」 and 「〜ちゃった/〜じゃった」.

Examples

1Doing it completely

  1. 今日きょうは冬ふゆ休やすみの宿題しゅくだいを全部ぜんぶしてしまおう。

    Today I'm going to get all my winter-break homework done.

  2. よし!誰だれも食たべないなら、僕ぼくが食たべてしまおう。

    Right! If no one's going to eat it, I'll finish it off.

2Regret, by accident

  1. 今いま出でないと遅おくれてしまうよ。

    If you don't leave now, you'll be late.

  2. 傘かさを忘わすれてしまった。

    I forgot my umbrella.

Tested 8 times in past papers

N2 · Dec 2024, Q50N3 · Jul 2021, Q46N3 · Jul 2019, Q42N3 · Jul 2018, Q46N3 · Jul 2017, Q43N3 · Jul 2017, Q48N3 · Dec 2016, Q55N4 · Jul 2012, Q56