Japanese with Manga

Buying finches instead of waiting with 〜きれずに

Grammar Explanation: Unable to finish with 〜きれない (Future entry)

In the living room, Dad explains what happened while Mom listens. Maruko pipes up from the lower left.
ちびまる子ちゃん » Volume 4 » Page 38

Dad agreed to buy Maruko a Java sparrow chick, and she went with him to the pet shop. They come home with a pair of society finches instead, and Mom asks why they aren’t Java sparrows.

お父(とう)さん:
「いや　ブンチョウが売(う)り切(き)れでね　あと3日(みっか)すりゃはいるっていうのに　まる子(こ)のやつまちきれずにジュウシマツ買(か)ったんだよ」
“Well, the Java sparrows were sold out. They said more would come in three days, but Maruko couldn't wait and bought finches instead.”
お母(かあ)さん:
「そーなの」
“Oh, I see.”
まる子(こ):
「いいじゃん」
“So what?”
「まる子(こ)ジュウシマツでもかわいがるよ　おねえちゃんにも見(み)せてやろ」
“I'll love them even if they're finches. I'm gonna go show them to my sister too.”

Key Points

1まちきれずに, “couldn’t wait, and instead…”
  • まち is the stem of 待(ま)つ, “to wait”, written here in kana. 待(ま)ちきれない is “can’t wait”.
  • ず is a written or older negative ending, and 〜ずに works like 〜ないで: “without”. まちきれずに is “without being able to wait”.
  • This form usually leads into what the person did once the waiting stopped. Here it’s ジュウシマツ買(か)った.
2あと3日(みっか)すりゃはいるっていうのに
  • すりゃ is a casual contraction of すれば. あと3日(みっか)すれば is “in three more days”.
  • って quotes what the shop said, and のに adds Dad’s exasperation: “even though they said…”.
3まる子(こ)のやつ
  • やつ is a rough word for a person. Dad uses it with a mix of exasperation and affection, like “that kid Maruko”.
4ジュウシマツでも, “even if they’re finches”
  • でも after a noun is “even if it’s”. Maruko admits that finches weren’t her first choice.
  • 見(み)せてやろ is 見(み)せてやろう with the う dropped. やる makes it something she does for her sister.

Vocabulary

(Java sparrow)

ブンチョウ is the Java sparrow, a small finch often kept as a pet. It is also written 文鳥(ぶんちょう).

(Sold out)

売(う)り切(き)れ means that something has all been sold and none is left.

(After)

あと is the time after something, the space behind something, or what remains. At the start of a sentence, it adds one more point, like “also”. It is also written 後(あと).

(To do)

する is to do or perform something. It also turns many nouns into verbs, as in 勉強する.

(To enter)

はいる is to go or come inside. It is also used for things arriving, as when a shop gets new stock in. It is also written 入(はい)る.

(To say)

いう is to put something into words. It is the kana spelling of 言(い)う and appears in phrases like という, which introduces a name or a quoted idea.

(Guy)

やつ is a casual word for a person or thing. It can sound rough or friendly, depending on the speaker. It is also written 奴(やつ).

(To wait)

まつ is to stay until someone comes or something happens. まてよ, “wait a minute”, is said when stopping to think. It is also written 待(ま)つ.

(Society finch)

ジュウシマツ is the society finch, a small, gentle finch often kept as a pet. It is also written 十姉妹(じゅうしまつ).

(To buy)

買(か)う is to buy something.

(Good)

いい describes something good, nice, or fine. It can also mean “okay” or “that’s enough”. Its other forms come from よい, as in よくない and よかった.

(To dote on)

かわいがる is to treat a person or animal with affection and care. It is also written 可愛(かわい)がる.

(Big sister)

おねえちゃん is a familiar word for one’s older sister. It is also written お姉(ねえ)ちゃん.

(To show)

見(み)せる is to let someone see something.

(To do)

やる is a casual word for “to do”. It also means to give something to someone of lower standing, or to animals and plants.

See Also

ちびまる子ちゃん © its respective creators. It is used here for educational commentary.