JLPT N3 grammar

〜きれないmeaning and usage

Meaning

Can't finish/complete A

This point is also listed at N2.

How to form it

  • verb (masu-stem)きれない
  • verb (masu-stem)きれる

How it is used

Too much or too many to get through: 「食べきれない」 (can't eat it all), 「数えきれない」 (countless). It is the negative potential of 「〜きる」 (do completely).

Examples

  1. この部屋に５０人は入り切れない。

    This room is too small to contain 50 people.

  2. 料理が多すぎて、一人では食べきれない。

    There's too much food for me to finish on my own.

  3. 夜空には数えきれないほど星があった。

    There were countless stars in the night sky.