Vます に Vて ((V) ni (V) te) — ~ over and over / to the very limit
The same verb twice with 「に」between — 考えに考えて, 待ちに待った: 'to the limit'.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- Stay in Japan or go back to Nepal? For months you thought about it late into the night, talked with your family, thought again.
- In the end you tell a friend: 「考えに考えて、日本に残ることにした」— after thinking and thinking, as hard as I could.
Meaning
- Repeating the same verb, joined by 「に」, adds the stress 'many times, with everything I had, to the limit'.
- The stress is on how much of one action, how hard, and the result usually follows.
How to attach
- Drop ます, add 「に」, then the same verb in て-form or た-form: 考え＋に＋考えて, 売れ＋に＋売れて, 泣き＋に＋泣いた
- 「待ちに待った＋N」(待ちに待った夏休み) is a fixed phrase — 'long-awaited'.
Versus what you know
- This lesson's 「〜ては〜、〜ては〜」shows an A→B sequence going round (often getting nowhere); here the stress is on the amount of one action.
- N2「悩んだ末に」reports 'a result after a long process' like a fact; in 「考えに考えて」you hear the effort itself.
Watch out
- Both slots must hold the same verb (× 考えに悩んで).
- It is for a really big amount — it doesn't go with 'a little' (× 少し考えに考えて).
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
考えに考えて、来年ももう一年日本で働くことにした。
かんがえにかんがえて、らいねんももういちねんにほんではたらくことにした。
After thinking it over and over, I decided to work in Japan for one more year.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 考える = to think → drop ます: 考え → 「に」 → the て-form of the same verb: 考えて → 'thinking and thinking' → then the result: 〜ことにした (decided).
待ちに待った夏休みに、三年ぶりにネパールへ帰った。
まちにまったなつやすみに、さんねんぶりにネパールへかえった。
During the long-awaited summer vacation, I went back to Nepal for the first time in three years.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 待つ = to wait → 待ち → 「に」 → た-form: 待った → 待ちに待った = waited for a long time → then the N: 夏休み.
このおにぎりは発売から売れに売れて、どの店でも品切れだ。
このおにぎりははつばいからうれにうれて、どのみせでもしなぎれだ。
This onigiri has been selling like crazy since its launch — it's sold out at every shop.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 売れる = to sell (be bought) → 売れ → 「に」 → 売れて → 'selling and selling' → then the result: どの店でも品切れ (sold out everywhere).
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「待ち＿＿待った給料日が、やっと来た。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: What joins the ます-stem and the same verb?
ます-stem + に + Vた: 待ちに待った = long-awaited.
In which sentence is this form unnatural?
💡 Hint: Is the same verb on both sides of 「に」?
Both slots need the same verb: 考えに考えて or 悩みに悩んで. 「考えに悩んで」is wrong.
What is the difference between 「考えに考えて」and 「考えては迷い、考えては迷い」?
💡 Hint: One stresses amount, the other a repeating sequence.
考えに考えて = thought it through to the limit (usually with a result). 考えては迷い = think, waver — that cycle repeating, going nowhere.
Your score: /3