〜に堪えない (~ni taenai) — (I am) deeply ~ / overwhelmed with ~
Thanks, joy or sorrow so great it can't be held in — the language of ceremonies and formal statements.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- At the company's founding anniversary the chairman stands on stage and says 「本日は多くの皆様にお越しいただき、感謝に堪えません」— 'that so many of you came today fills me with more gratitude than I can hold.'
- The speaker is 'I', and the language is very stiff — to thank a friend, just say 「ありがとう」.
Meaning
- This 「に堪えない」is different: the feeling rising inside you is so big it can't be held in.
- The feeling can be a good one (感謝・感激・喜び) or a sad one (悲しみ・同情・後悔の念).
- The 「誠に遺憾に堪えません」(it is deeply regrettable) you hear on the news when a company or the government apologises is this same form.
How to attach
Attach a feeling noun + 「に堪えない」; the polite form is 「に堪えません」.
Versus what you know
- In lesson 20 you learned 「見るに堪えない」— a judgement that something outside (a show, someone's words) is so bad you can't bear to watch it.
- Compared with 「てやまない」in the previous point: that is a lasting wish and goes with a verb; 「に堪えない」is a feeling that fills your heart on this very occasion, and it goes with a noun.
Watch out
The key rule: it only goes with a small set of feeling nouns — never with an adjective like 「うれしいに堪えない」.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
本日は多くの方にお集まりいただき、感謝に堪えません。
ほんじつはおおくのかたにおあつまりいただき、かんしゃにたえません。
I am deeply grateful that so many of you have gathered here today.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) お集まりいただき = for gathering here (the reason) → 感謝 = the feeling of thanks (N) → attach 「に堪えません」 = I can't contain that feeling → an opening line at a ceremony.
お世話になった先生が亡くなったと聞き、悲しみに堪えない。
おせわになったせんせいがなくなったときき、かなしみにたえない。
Hearing that the teacher who did so much for me has passed away, I am overwhelmed with grief.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 亡くなったと聞き = hearing that the teacher had passed away (the reason) → 悲しみ = grief (a noun made from 悲しい) → 「に堪えない」 = I can't contain the grief → you need the noun 悲しみ, not the adjective 悲しい.
このような事故が起きたことは、誠に遺憾に堪えません。
このようなじこがおきたことは、まことにいかんにたえません。
It is truly regrettable that such an accident has occurred.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 事故が起きたこと = the fact that an accident happened → 誠に = truly (a strong word) → 遺憾 = regret (N) → 「に堪えません」 = deeply regrettable → language of a company apology or a press conference.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「皆様の温かいご支援に、＿＿。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: Which particle follows the feeling noun?
N + に堪えない. 感謝に堪えません = I can't contain my gratitude. を・で・が don't work here.
In which sentence is 「に堪えない」unnatural?
💡 Hint: Does 「に堪えない」need a noun or an adjective before it?
Only a feeling noun can come first: 感激・同情・後悔の念. 「うれしい」is an adjective, so it can't attach — say 「喜びに堪えない」instead.
In which sentence does 「に堪えない」mean 'a feeling inside too deep to hold in'?
💡 Hint: Is there a feeling noun before it, or a verb like 見る・聞く?
感謝に堪えません = I can't hold in the feeling. 見る・聞く・読むに堪えない is a judgement that something outside is too bad to watch, hear or read.
Your score: /3