For Upper Beginner and Intermediate learners

2018/September/28

Kore ijoo ... dekinai

I cannot do any more, I cannot do any longer

Kore ijoo + the verb potential nai form such as dekinai "cannot
do", taberarenai "cannot eat",
matenai "cannot wait" means "I cannot do/eat any more" or "cannot wait any longer".
Kore ijoo literally means "more than this".
When the verb is clearly uderstood, muri "impossible"; Kore ijoo muri is also common.
When it is physically impossible, the intransitive-verb nai form is often used instead of
the potential nai form of a transitive-verb. See the example 9 and 10.

Example sentences

1. Moo onaka ga ippai.

Kore ijoo taberarenai.
Kore ijoo muri.
moo already, onaka ga ippai I'm full (set phrase)
onaka stomach, abdomen, belly, ippai full
taberu to eat, taberarenai potential nai form of taberu; cannot eat
muri [na] impossible

2. Moo takusan nonda.

Kore ijoo nomenai.
Kore ijoo muri.
moo already, takusan many, a lot of
nomu to drink, nonda ta form of nomu
nomenai potential nai form of nomu; cannot drink
muri [na] impossible

3. Moo 2-jikan mo aruita.

Kore ijoo arukenai.
 moo already, ni-jikan (for) two hours
-mo (number +) emphasizing the number; the speaker feels the number
is "very big" or "too big".
aruku to walk, aruita ta form of aruku
arukenai potential nai form of aruku; cannot walk

4. Moo 30-pun mo Mori-san o matte iru.

Kore ijoo matenai. Saki ni ikoo.
moo already, sanjuppun 30 minutes, -mo (number +) emphasizing
the number
matte iru be waiting for, -te iru expressing progressive or state
matsu to wait, matte te form of matsu
matenai potential nai form of matsu; cannot wait
sakini iku to go ahead, ikoo volitional form of iku; let's go

5. Nimotsu ga oo-sugiru.
Kore ijoo motenai.
nimotsu one's belongings, stuff, things (to carry with), oo-sugiru too
many, too much
ooi many, a lot,-sugiru (stem +) too many, too much
motsu to hold, carry, motenai potential nai form of motsu; cannot
hold, cannot carry

6. Hondana ga hoshii kedo, heya ga semai kara, kore ijoo kagu o okenai.
hondana bookshelf, hoshii I want (something), -kedo but
heya room, semai small, narrow, -kara because, therefore, so,
kagu furniture
oku to put, place, okenai potential nai form of oku; cannot put

7. Sumaho no memorii ga ippai.

Kore ijoo (shashin o) hozon dekinai.
sumaho smartphone, memorii memory (unit), ippai full
shashin photo, picture, hozon [sv] store, preserve, save
dekiru can, be able to do, dekinai nai form of dekiru; can do

8. Basu wa man'in.
Kore ijoo norenai.
 basu bus, man'in full (of people)
noru to ride, get on, norenai potential nai form of noru; cannot ride,
cannot get on

9. Koodo ga konsento ni todokanai.

Kore ijoo (Watashi wa koodo o) nobasenai.
Kore ijoo (koodo wa) nobinai.

koodo cord, konsento wall outlet (Wasei-Eigo "Japanese-made

English")
todokanai nai form of todoku; arrive, be delivered / reach
nobasenai potential nai form of nobasu; extend [vt]
nobinai nai form of nobiru; be extended [vi]
* Watashi wa koodo o nobasu / nobasanai [transitive] (nobaseru /
nobasenai [potential])
* Koodo wa nobiru / nobinai [intransitive]

10. Nimotsu ga oo-sugiru.

Kore ijoo (watashi wa kaban ni nimotsu o) irerarenai.
Kore ijoo (nimotsu wa kaban ni) hairanai.
nimotsu one's belongings, stuff, things (to carry with), oo-sugiru too
many, too much
ooi many, a lot, -sugiru (stem +) too many, too much, kaban bag,
briefcase, travel bag, suitcase
irerarenai potential nai form of ireru; put in [vt]
hairanai nai form of hairu; go in, be in [vi]
* Watashi wa nimotsu o ireru / irenai [transitive] (irerareru /
irerarenai [potential])
* Nimotsu wa hairu / hairanai [intransitive]

Quizzes
A. Choose the appropriate word.

1. (Izakaya de)

A : Moo ippai doozo.

Kore ijoo nomemasen. Kore , arukenaku
B:
ijoo narimasu.

nondara nonde nometara

izakaya Japanese-style pub, -de place marker; in, at
moo ippai doozo Would like another glass of (beer)?, Would you
care for another (one)?
moo ippai another cup or glass, ippai a cup or a glass,
doozo please (eat, drink, have some)
nomemasu potential form of nomu; can drink, nonda ta form
of nomu; drink, -tara if, when
arukenai potential nai form of aruku; cannot walk, -naku
narimasu become not able to do

2. (Ryokoo no junbi)

A : Kore, sono kaban ni hairu?

B : Kore wa moo . Kore ijoo .

takusan muri ippai

ryokoo [sv] travel, trip, journey, junbi [sv] preparation
kaban bag, briefcase, travel bag, suitcase, hairu to go in, be in
moo one more, another / already, ippai another cup or glass / full
muri [na] impossible, takusan many, a lot of
The first Kore refers to "these tings" which A-san has.
The second Kore refers to "this bag" which B-san has.
ippai in Moo ippai doozo (No.1) means "a cup (of tea)" or "a galss
(of beer)".
ippai in Kore wa moo ippai means "full".
Listen to the audio in the vocabulary list below.
 3. (Fuji-tozan)

A : Tsukareta. Kore ijoo arukenai.

B : Choojoo made ato sukoshi desu yo.

A : Muri, muri. Sukoshi mashoo.

B : Sakki bakari desu yo.

yasunda yasumi yasumu

Fuji-tozan Mt. Fuji climbing, tozan mountain climbing
tsukareta ta form of tsukareru; be tired, arukenai potential nai form
of aruku; cannot walk
choojoo top (of a mountain), summit, -made till, until, to
ato sukoshi little more, just a little more, ato later, after / another,
the rest
sukoshi a little, a few, a bit, -yo telling the information with friendly
sound
muri [na] impossible, yasumimasu to rest, break, -mashoo (stem
+) Let's do
sakki some time ago, a little while ago, yasunda ta form
of yasumimasu
-ta bakari just did, have just done
"Mt. Fuji" is Fuji-san.
The most common verb meaning "to climb a mountain" is noboru;
Fuji-san ni noboru.

Practice the following words

1. kore ijoomore than this 32. hozon[sv] store, preserve, save

2. muri[na] impossible 33. dekiru / dekinaican do

3. onaka ga ippaiI'm full (set
phrase)
4. onakastomach, abdomen, belly
5. ippaifull
6. 1-pai, 2-hai, 3-bai (ippai,
ni-hai, san-bai)
cup(s) or glass(es)
7. moo ippaianother cup or
glass
8. mooalready / another, more
9. taberarenaipotential nai form
of taberu
10. tabemasu / taberuto eat
11. takusanmany, a lot of
12. nomenaipotential nai form
of nomu
13. nomimasu / nomuto drink
14. arukenaipotential nai form
of aruku
15. arukimasu / arukuto walk
16. matenaipotential nai form
of matsu
17. machimasu / matsuto wait
18. nimotsuone's belongings,
stuff, things (to carry)
19. oo-sugirutoo many, too much
20. ooimany, a lot
21. motenaipotential nai form
of motsu
34. basubus
35. man'infull (of people)
36. norenaipotential nai form
of noru
37. norimasu / noruto ride, get on,
be on board
38. koodocord
39. konsentowall outlet
40. todokimasu / todokuto arrive /
reach
41. nobasenaipotential nai form
of nobasu
42. nobashimasu / nobasu
to extend, make something
longer [vt]
43. nobinainai form of nobiru
44. nobimasu / nobiru
to become longer, be
extended [vi]
45. irerarenaipotential nai form
of ireru
46. iremasu / ireruto put in, pour
into
47. hairanainai form of hairu
48. hairimasu / hairuto go in, be
in, enter
49. izakayaJapanese-style pub
50. ryokoo[sv] travel, trip, journey
51. junbi[sv] preparation
 22. mochimasu / motsuto carry, 52. kaban
hold, have bag, briefcase, travel bag,
23. hondanabookshelf suitcase

53. FujisanMt. Fuji

24. hoshiiI want (something)
54. tozanmountain climbing
25. heyaroom
55. noborimasu / noboruto climb,
26. semaismall, narrow
go up
56. tsukaremasu / tsukareruto be
27. kagufurniture
tired, get tired

28. okenaipotential nai form of oku 57. choojootop (of a mountain),

summit
29. okimasu / okuto place, put 58. ato sukoshilittle more, just a
little more
30. sumahosmartphone 59. sukoshia little, a few, a bit

31. memoriimemory (unit) 60. yasumimasu / yasumuto take

a day off, break, rest
61. sakkisome time ago, a little
while ago
Functional patterns used in the sentences (Chapter numbers are from Building Up
Conversation)
taberareru, nomeru, arukeru, moteru, etc.
verb potential form:can do, be able to do
Level 2 Chapter 9
sakini ikoo
-yoo, -oo:verb volitional form "Let's do"
Level 2 Chapter 18
nimotsu ga oo-sugiru
stem + sugimasu:too big, too small, do too much, etc.
Level 3 Chapter 4
hondana ga hoshii
verb te form + -te hoshii:I want (you) to do, I want something to be
Level 3 Chapter 16
heya ga semai kara
plain form + kara:expressing a reason or a cause; because, therefore,
so
Level 2 Chapter 3
kore ijoo nondara
ta form + -tara:if, when
Level 2 Chapter 8
arukenaku narimasu
-naku narimasu:expressing a change; come not to do, become not able
to do
Level 3 Chapter 5
sukoshi yasumi-mashoo
verb stem + mashoo:Let's do
Level 1 Chapter 12
yasunda bakari
verb ta form + bakari:just did, have just done