JLPT N2 grammar

〜てかなわないmeaning and usage

Meaning

A is a problem; condition A is troubling/a nuisance

How to form it

  • verb (te-form)かなわない
  • verb (te-form)はかなわない
  • い-adjective (-く form)てかなわない
  • な-adjective (stem)でかなわない

How it is used

Says a condition is unbearable or a real nuisance: 「暑くてかなわない」, 「うるさくてかなわない」. It voices the speaker's own discomfort and is conversational. Compared with 「〜てたまらない」, it leans toward annoyance and complaint.

Examples

  1. 彼の話は長くてかなわないよ。

    His long talks are a nuisance.

  2. 隣の部屋の工事がうるさくてかなわない。

    The building work next door is unbearably noisy.

  3. こう毎日雨が降ってはかなわない。

    Rain like this every single day is more than I can stand.