Log inSign up

nimotu ga omosugite, hitori de ha hakobemasen.

荷物にもつ　が　重おもすぎて、　一人ひとり　で　は　運はこべません。nimotu ga omosugite, hitori de ha hakobemasen.
The luggage is too heavy, so I cannot carry it by myself.
FromLesson 8inHardcore Japanese
…

Questions & Answers about nimotu ga omosugite, hitori de ha hakobemasen.

What does 重すぎて mean and how is すぎる used with adjectives?

すぎる attached to an adjective indicates “too …” or “excessively …”. With い-adjectives, you drop the final い and add すぎる.

  • 重い → 重
    • すぎる = 重すぎる (“too heavy”)
  • Then the て-form of 重すぎる is 重すぎて, used here to link clauses.
Why is the て-form (as in 重すぎて,) used instead of ので or から?

The て-form here expresses a cause–result relationship in a neutral or conversational style:
“(Because it’s too heavy,) I can’t carry it alone.”
You could also say:

  • 荷物が重すぎるので、一人では運べません。
  • 荷物が重すぎるから、一人では運べません。
    But 重すぎて is more direct and common in spoken Japanese.
What’s the function of は in 一人では運べません? How is it different from just 一人で?

一人で means “by oneself.” Adding は—一人では—marks that entire phrase as the topic or point of contrast:
“As for doing it alone, (it) can’t be done.”
It emphasizes that, at least when you’re alone, carrying it is impossible.

Why is it 運べません instead of 運びません?

運べません is the negative potential form, “cannot carry.”

  • 運ぶ (to carry) → potential 運べる (can carry) → polite negative 運べません (cannot carry).
    By contrast, 運びません simply means “do not carry,” without implying inability.
How do you form the potential form 運べる for a verb like 運ぶ?

運ぶ is a Group 1 (u-verb). To form the potential:

  1. Change the final -u sound to the corresponding -e sound: 運ぶ → 運べ
  2. Add る: 運べる (can carry)
    For the polite negative: drop る and add ません → 運べません.
Can this sentence be rephrased more formally or with different connectors?

Yes. For more formality you can use ～ことができません:

  • 荷物が重すぎて、一人では運ぶことができません。
    Or replace the て-form with ので/から for a slightly different tone:
  • 荷物が重すぎるので、一人では運べません。
  • 荷物が重すぎるから、一人では運べません。

More from this lesson

denkitukeruwatasi ha denki wo tukemasu.nerukesuwatasi ha neru mae ni denki wo kesimasu.akaruinode
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do verb conjugations work in Japanese?”
Japanese verbs conjugate based on tense, politeness, and mood. For example, the polite present form adds ‑ます to the verb stem, while the past tense uses ‑ました. Unlike English, Japanese verbs don't change based on the subject — the same form works for "I", "you", and "they".

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Japanese

Master Japanese — from nimotu ga omosugite, hitori de ha hakobemasen to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Japanese freeBrowse the full course