やってられない

• 読み: やってられない
• ローマ字: yatterarenai
• 発音: /ja.t.te.ɾa.ɾe.na.i/

意味

I can't deal with this — an expression of frustration when a situation is too much to bear or continue.

The potential-negative form of やる (to do), やってられない literally means 'I cannot continue doing this.' It expresses frustration, exasperation, or the feeling that something is so unreasonable that you want to quit or walk away. Common in workplace complaints, dealing with unreasonable situations, or when patience has run out. Often shortened to やってらんない in very casual speech.

例文

1. 毎日残業でやってられない、もう辞めたい。
2. こんな暑い中外仕事とかやってられないよ。
3. やってられないから今日はもう帰る。

使い方ガイド

場面: friends, workplace (informal), casual conversation

トーン: frustrated, exasperated

正しい言い方

• こんな給料でやってられないよ。 (I can't deal with this salary.)
• もうやってらんない、休憩しよう。 (I can't anymore, let's take a break.)

避ける言い方

• 上司の前で「やってられない」は不満を直接ぶつけることになる (Saying yatterarenai in front of your boss directly expresses dissatisfaction)

よくある間違い

• Using やってられない as a permanent statement — it usually expresses momentary frustration, not a final decision
• Not knowing the shortened やってらんない which is even more casual

起源と歴史

From the potential-negative form of やっている (to be doing). This frustrated expression has been part of spoken Japanese for generations, commonly associated with workplace complaints and dealing with unreasonable situations.

文化的背景

時代: Long-established expression, generational

世代: All ages (especially working adults)

社会的背景: Universal

地域メモ: Used across Japan. A staple of workplace frustration vocabulary, often heard over drinks with colleagues.