〜てはかなわない (~te wa kanawanai) — if ~, it's unbearable / I can't stand ~

If this annoying situation keeps up, I just can't take it — an everyday grumble.

Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)

Verb Vて + は + かなわない

い-adj い-adj [い] + くて + は + かなわない

な-adj／N な-adj／N + で + は + かなわない

Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)

When to use it

This month it's been overtime until 10 p.m. every single day. On the train home you tell a friend: 「こう毎日残業が続いてはかなわないよ」— 'if it's going to be overtime every day like this, I can't take it.'

Meaning

「かなわない」= can't bear it, can't hold out; the 「ては」in front means 'if this happens' (the 「ては」with a bad result from lesson 11).
So 「〜てはかなわない」is a grumble: if this annoying situation stays like this, it's unbearable for me.

How to attach

Attach it to a verb's て-form + 「は」(続いては), an い-adjective with 「くて」+ 「は」(うるさくては), a な-adjective or noun with 「で」+ 「は」(不便では).
With friends you hear 「ちゃかなわない」「じゃかなわない」.

Versus what you know

N2At N2 you learned 「〜てたまらない」「〜てかなわない」(暑くてたまらない). Those are a strong sensation in your body or heart right now, and 「たまらない」even works for a good longing (会いたくてたまらない).
「てはかなわない」, with 「は」, is less about a sensation and more a complaint about the situation, carrying the 'if it keeps going like this…' condition — that's why 「こう」「こんなに」「毎日」so often come in front.

Watch out

The key rule: it is always a complaint about something bad or irritating — never for something good like 「うれしくてはかなわない」— and it doesn't appear in formal writing.

Examples (उदाहरणहरू)

こう毎日残業が続いてはかなわない。

こうまいにちざんぎょうがつづいてはかなわない。

I can't take overtime going on every day like this.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) こう毎日 = every day like this → 残業が続く = overtime keeps going → て-form: 続いて → attach 「はかなわない」 = if it keeps on like this, I can't take it.

隣の部屋の音楽がこんなにうるさくてはかなわないよ。

となりのへやのおんがくがこんなにうるさくてはかなわないよ。

I can't stand the music next door being this loud.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 音楽がこんなに = the music, this much → うるさい = noisy (い-adj) → drop 「い」 and add 「くて」: うるさくて → 「はかなわない」 = unbearable → 「よ」 gives it the tone of complaining to a friend.

給料は上がらないのに、物価ばかり上がってはかなわない。

きゅうりょうはあがらないのに、ぶっかばかりあがってはかなわない。

My pay isn't going up, yet prices keep rising — I can't stand it.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 給料は上がらないのに = my pay doesn't go up, and yet → 物価ばかり上がる = only prices go up → て-form: 上がって → 「はかなわない」 = if it keeps up like this, I can't cope.

Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)

Question: 1/3

「こう毎日暑＿＿はかなわない。」— fill the blank.

💡 Hint: How does an い-adjective join before 「は」?