GRAMMAR
〜ても〜きれない
can't completely
Explanation
NOTE
〜ても〜きれない means can't completely — no matter how much you try, you cannot finish it.
この料理は多すぎて、食べても食べきれない。
There is so much food that I can't finish it no matter how much I eat.
NOTE
It repeats the same verb twice: once in the て form with も, then with きれない.
NOTE
It stresses an amount too large to handle — counting, eating, or using it all is impossible.
星が多すぎて、数えても数えきれない。
There are so many stars that I can't count them all.
The same verb 数える is repeated in the て form and with きれない.
NOTE
Take the verb in て form, add も, then repeat the verb stem with きれない.
STRUCTURE
Vても [V][~~ます~~]きれない
本が多くて、読んでも読みきれない。
Hon ga ookute, yonde mo yomikirenai.
There are so many books that I can't read them all.
仕事が多すぎて、やってもやりきれない。
Shigoto ga oosugite, yatte mo yarikirenai.
There is so much work that I can't get it all done.
感謝の気持ちは、言っても言いきれない。
Kansha no kimochi wa, itte mo iikirenai.
I can't fully express my feelings of gratitude.
Practice exercises
1
彼の苦労は、どんな言葉を使っても説明しても説明しきれない。
No matter what words you use, his hardships cannot be fully explained.
Answer
説明しても説明しきれない
2
人生の意味は、考えても考えきれない深さがある。
The meaning of life has such a depth that no matter how much one thinks, one cannot think it through completely.
Answer
考えても考えきれない
3
本が多すぎて、一日では読んでも読みきれない。
There are so many books that, in a single day, I cannot read them all.
Answer
読んでも読みきれない
4
これだけの量は、限界に至っても、一人では食べても食べきれないだろう。
Even if it reaches the limit, this much quantity probably cannot be eaten up by one person alone.
Answer
食べても食べきれない
5
この悲しみは、涙を流しても流しきれない程だ。
This sadness is so profound that no matter how many tears one sheds, one cannot shed them all.
Answer
流しても流しきれない
6
星が多すぎて、数えても数えきれない。
There are so many stars that I can't count them all.
Answer
数えても数えきれない
7
本が多くて、読んでも読みきれない。
There are so many books that I can't read them all.
Answer
きれない
8
仕事が多すぎて、やってもやりきれない。
There is so much work that I can't get it all done.
Answer
やってもやりきれない