JLPT N2 grammar

〜あまりmeaning and usage

Meaning

Too A; Too much A; Overwhelming A

How to form it

  • nounのあまり
  • verb (dictionary form)/verb (ta-form)あまり
  • な-adjective (stem)なあまり

How it is used

Some feeling or state is so extreme that it leads to an (often undesirable) result: 'so … that'. It usually follows emotion words like 「心配」「喜び」「緊張」. Not to be confused with 「あまり〜ない」 ('not very').

Examples

  1. 疲れのあまり、一歩も歩けなかった。

    I was so tired that I couldn't take a single step.

  2. 緊張のあまり、名前を言い間違えてしまった。

    I was so nervous that I said the wrong name.

  3. 子どもを心配するあまり、母は夜も眠れなかった。

    My mother worried so much about her child that she couldn't sleep at night.