〜あげく(に) (~ageku (ni)) — after all that ~, in the end (bad result)
Much effort, much time… and then a bad ending. The word of complaint and regret.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
Talking with a friend you sometimes hear this: 「三時間も並んだあげく、チケットは売り切れだった」— stood in line three hours, and in the end the tickets were sold out!
Meaning
- 「〜あげく」= the feeling of 'after all that, still a bad result'.
- Before it there must be a long, hard, tiresome process: さんざん悩んだ・何度も話し合った・いろいろ文句を言った
- After it comes a bad or disappointing ending — bought nothing, no decision, failed.
How to attach
- The verb's た-form: 迷ったあげく
- Noun + 「の」: 苦労のあげく, 議論のあげく — for a する-noun, drop する and add 「の」
- 「あげくに」is the same.
- As a separate sentence: 「〜た。そのあげく〜」
- さんざん・何度も・いろいろ usually come before it and deepen that 'it went on and on' colour.
Versus what you know
- N3「〜た結果」is neutral — it works for good or bad results (調べた結果、原因がわかった).
- N3「〜たところ」is about what you found when you tried something.
Watch out
If the outcome was good, do not say 「あげく」; that is 「末に」territory (next point).
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
三時間も並んだあげく、チケットは売り切れだった。
さんじかんもならんだあげく、チケットはうりきれだった。
I stood in line for three whole hours, and in the end the tickets were sold out.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 並ぶ = to wait in line → た-form: 並んだ → 「三時間も」 says "that long" → we attach 「あげく」 → then the bad result: 売り切れだった.
さんざん迷ったあげく、結局何も買わずに店を出た。
さんざんまよったあげく、けっきょくなにもかわずにみせをでた。
After dithering forever, in the end I left the shop without buying anything.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 迷う = to be unable to decide → 迷った → 「さんざん」 (a lot) in front → 「あげく」 → then the disappointing ending: 何も買わずに店を出た.
長い話し合いのあげく、家族の意見はまとまらなかった。
ながいはなしあいのあげく、かぞくのいけんはまとまらなかった。
After a long discussion, in the end the family still could not agree.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 話し合い = discussion (noun) → we add 「の」: 話し合いの → 「あげく」 → then the bad result: まとまらなかった.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「何度も_あげく、けんかになってしまった。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: Which verb form goes before あげく?
た-form + あげく. 話し合ったあげく = after much discussion, in the end.
In which sentence is 「あげく」unnatural?
💡 Hint: What kind of result must follow?
あげく takes a bad result; for finding a good job and being happy, use 「末に」.
What is the difference between 「〜た結果」and 「〜あげく」?
💡 Hint: Which one is neutral?
た結果 is neutral; あげく carries 'a bad ending after a long ordeal'.
Your score: /3