こんなにですか? 明日の昼までなんて…
ありえない…どうしよう
Introduction to Expressions of Overwhelm and Panic
Today we’re learning Japanese expressions used when feeling overwhelmed, shocked, or panicked – common reactions to unreasonable deadlines or impossible demands. These phrases capture the emotional state of someone facing an overwhelming task. For JLPT N4-N3 students, understanding こんなに, まで, なんて for emphasis, ありえない for expressing disbelief, and どうしよう for expressing worry are essential for natural, emotional Japanese communication.
First Expression: こんなにですか?
Word Breakdown
こんなに – this much, to this extent
ですか – is it? (polite question)
Translation and Context
Translation: This much? / It’s this much? / To this extent?
Context: Typically said when looking at a large amount of work, documents, or tasks
Understanding こんなに (This Much, To This Extent)
こんなに is a demonstrative adverb indicating degree or amount. It means “this much,” “to this extent,” or “so much” (referring to something near the speaker or just mentioned).
The demonstrative degree system:
こんなに – this much (near speaker, just mentioned)
そんなに – that much (near listener, previously mentioned)
あんなに – that much (far from both, distant reference)
どんなに – how much (question)
Used with:
Adjectives: こんなに大きい – this big
Verbs: こんなに食べる – eat this much
Amounts: こんなに多い – this many
Often expresses surprise or emphasis on the amount/degree.
こんなに vs こんな
Comparing the forms:
こんなに (adverb – degree/amount):
こんなに多い – This many
こんなに早い – This fast
こんなに大変 – This hard
こんな (adjective – type/kind):
こんな仕事 – This kind of work
こんな人 – This kind of person
こんな時 – A time like this
In our phrase: こんなに refers to the amount/quantity
Context: Looking at Overwhelming Work
こんなにですか? is typically said when someone shows you a pile of documents, a list of tasks, or describes the scope of work, and you’re shocked by how much there is.
Typical scenarios:
At work:
Boss: これ、全部今日中にお願い
Employee: え、こんなにですか?!
Boss: Please finish all of this by today
Employee: Huh, this much?!
Looking at homework:
Student: 宿題、こんなにですか?
Teacher: はい、頑張って
Student: The homework is this much?
Teacher: Yes, do your best
Seeing a bill:
Customer: え、こんなにですか?
Staff: はい、税込みで…
Customer: Huh, this much?
Staff: Yes, with tax included…
Related Degree Expressions
Expressing amounts and degrees:
こんなに多い – This many/much
そんなに要らない – Don’t need that much
あんなに頑張った – Tried that hard
どんなに大変か – How difficult it is
With surprise:
え、こんなに?! – What, this much?!
まさかこんなに – Surely not this much
こんなにあるとは – To think there’s this much
Second Expression: 明日の昼までなんて…
Word Breakdown
明日 (あした) – tomorrow
の – possessive particle
昼 (ひる) – noon, daytime, lunch time
まで – until, by (deadline)
なんて – exclamatory particle (disbelief/emphasis)
… – trailing off
Translation and Nuance
Literal meaning: Until tomorrow’s noon…!
Natural translation: By tomorrow noon?! / Until tomorrow lunch…! / Tomorrow at noon… [impossible]!
Implied: That’s impossible, unreasonable, or too much to ask
Understanding まで (Until, By)
まで is a particle meaning “until” or “by” indicating a deadline, endpoint, or limit. It’s crucial for expressing time constraints.
Understanding まで:
With time:
5時まで – Until 5 o’clock
明日まで – By tomorrow
来週まで – Until next week
With locations:
駅まで – Until the station
家まで – All the way home
Common deadline patterns:
～までに – By (deadline emphasis)
明日までに出して – Submit by tomorrow
金曜日まで – Until/by Friday
まで emphasizes the endpoint or deadline.
Time Expression: 明日の昼 (Tomorrow Noon)
Time of day expressions:
朝 (あさ) – Morning
昼 (ひる) – Noon, daytime, lunch time
午後 (ごご) – Afternoon
夕方 (ゆうがた) – Evening
夜 (よる) – Night
Combined with days:
今日の朝 – This morning
明日の昼 – Tomorrow noon
昨日の夜 – Last night
明後日の午後 – Day after tomorrow afternoon
Grammar Point: なんて Exclamatory Particle
なんて at the end of a phrase expresses strong emotion – usually surprise, disbelief, complaint, or emphasis. It’s one of the most emotionally charged particles in Japanese.
Understanding なんて:
Expresses:
Disbelief: “I can’t believe…!”
Complaint: “Something like…!”
Emphasis: “…of all things!”
Criticism: “How could…!”
Pattern: [Statement] + なんて
Can mean:
“Something like [X]!” (dismissive)
“[X]… [it’s unbelievable]!” (shocking)
“[X]?! [impossible]!” (rejection)
Often trails off with … or expressed with emotional intonation.
Examples with なんて
なんて expressing disbelief/complaint:
Unreasonable demands:
一日でなんて無理 – In one day?! Impossible
一人でなんて – Alone?! [no way]
今からなんて – Starting now?! [too late]
Surprising information:
彼が来るなんて – Him coming?! [surprising]
嘘だなんて – A lie?! [can’t believe]
知らなかったなんて – Didn’t know?! [how could you]
Self-deprecation:
私なんて – Someone like me… [humble]
こんなことなんて – Something like this… [trivial]
The Trailing Ellipsis (…)
The sentence trails off with … leaving the rest unsaid. This is very common in Japanese when the speaker is too shocked, overwhelmed, or distressed to complete their thought.
Trailing emotional expressions:
明日までなんて… (impossible, I can’t believe it)
こんなにあるなんて… (so much, how can I)
一人でなんて… (alone, it’s too much)
The implied continuations might be:
無理です (it’s impossible)
できない (I can’t do it)
信じられない (I can’t believe it)
困った (I’m in trouble)
Third Expression: ありえない…どうしよう
First Part: ありえない
Word Breakdown
ありえない – impossible, can’t be, unbelievable (negative potential of ありえる)
Translation of ありえない
Translations:
That’s impossible
It can’t be
No way
That’s unbelievable
That can’t happen
This is crazy
Understanding ありえない (Impossible, Can’t Be)
ありえない is the negative potential form of ありえる (can exist), but it’s commonly used to mean “impossible,” “unbelievable,” or “no way.” It’s one of the most common expressions of disbelief or rejection in Japanese.
Understanding ありえない:
Grammatical origin:
ある (to exist) → ありえる (can exist) → ありえない (cannot exist)
Modern usage meanings:
1. Literally impossible (can’t exist)
2. Unbelievable, shocking
3. Unacceptable, unreasonable
4. “No way!” (casual refusal)
Emotional range:
ありえない… – Impossible… (despair)
ありえない! – No way! (shock)
ありえない!! – That’s crazy!! (outrage)
ありえない!? – Can’t be!? (disbelief)
Different Contexts for ありえない
Usage contexts:
Impossible situations:
こんな短時間でありえない – In such a short time, it’s impossible
一人でなんてありえない – Alone? That’s impossible
Unbelievable news:
彼が辞めるなんてありえない – Him quitting? No way
嘘でしょ?ありえない! – You’re lying? Can’t be!
Unacceptable behavior:
そんな態度、ありえない – Such an attitude is unacceptable
遅刻してくるなんてありえない – Being late like that is unacceptable
Surprising situations:
こんな偶然、ありえない – Such a coincidence, unbelievable
まさかありえない – It can’t possibly be
Similar Expressions
Related impossibility expressions:
無理 (むり) – Impossible, can’t do it
できない – Can’t do (it)
信じられない – Can’t believe (it)
考えられない – Can’t imagine (it)
あり得ない – ありえない (kanji form)
まさか – No way, surely not
嘘でしょ – You’re kidding, right?
Second Part: どうしよう
Word Breakdown
どう – how, what
しよう – shall I do (volitional form of する)
Translation and Nuance
Translation: What should I do? / What shall I do? / What am I going to do?
Nuance: Expresses worry, panic, or being at a loss about what to do
Understanding どうしよう (What Should I Do?)
どうしよう is one of the most common expressions of worry, panic, or uncertainty in Japanese. It combines どう (how/what) with しよう (volitional form of する – shall I do).
Understanding どうしよう:
Literal meaning:
どう (how) + しよう (shall I do) = How shall I do? / What should I do?
Usage:
Expressing worry or panic
Being at a loss
Seeking a solution (often talking to yourself)
Feeling overwhelmed
Emotional tone:
どうしよう… – What should I do… (worried)
どうしよう! – What am I going to do! (panicked)
どうしよう? – What should I do? (asking)
どうしようもない – Nothing can be done (hopeless)
Different Forms and Situations
どうしよう variations:
Alone/internal dialogue:
どうしよう、間に合わない – What should I do, I won’t make it
やばい、どうしよう – Oh no, what should I do
Asking others:
どうしようか? – What should we do?
どうすればいい? – What should I do?
どうしたらいい? – What should I do?
More polite forms:
どうすればいいでしょうか – What should I do? (formal)
どうしましょうか – What shall we do? (polite)
Past tense (regret):
どうすればよかった – What should I have done
どうしようもなかった – There was nothing I could do
Common Situations for どうしよう
Typical contexts:
Urgent deadlines:
明日までなのに、どうしよう – It’s due tomorrow, what should I do
Lost items:
財布がない!どうしよう – My wallet is gone! What should I do
Embarrassing situations:
見られちゃった、どうしよう – They saw me, what should I do
Relationship troubles:
彼女が怒ってる、どうしよう – She’s angry, what should I do
Academic pressure:
テスト勉強してない、どうしよう – Haven’t studied for the test, what should I do
Complete Emotional Context: Overwhelming Deadline
Full Workplace Panic Scenario
Complete dialogue:
上司: じゃあ、この資料を全部明日の昼までにお願いします。
社員: え…こんなにですか?
上司: はい、クライアントとのミーティングがあるので。
社員: 明日の昼までなんて…
上司: 頑張って。じゃあ、よろしく。
(上司が去る)
社員: ありえない…どうしよう。徹夜するしかないか。
Boss: So, please finish all these documents by tomorrow noon.
Employee: Huh… this much?
Boss: Yes, because we have a meeting with the client.
Employee: By tomorrow noon… [impossible]!
Boss: Do your best. Well then, I’m counting on you.
(Boss leaves)
Employee: This is impossible… What should I do. I guess I have no choice but to pull an all-nighter.
Student Homework Crisis
Student panic:
友達: 明日、レポート提出だよね?
学生: え、明日!?やばい、まだ何も書いてない!
友達: え、本当に?
学生: 10ページもあるんだよ。こんなにですか?って感じ。明日の朝までなんて…
友達: それは大変だね。
学生: ありえない…どうしよう。今から始めるしかない。
Friend: The report is due tomorrow, right?
Student: Huh, tomorrow!? Oh no, I haven’t written anything yet!
Friend: Really?
Student: It’s 10 pages. Like, “This much?” you know. By tomorrow morning…
Friend: That’s tough.
Student: This is impossible… What should I do. I have no choice but to start now.
Event Planning Crisis
Last-minute preparations:
スタッフA: やることリスト見た?
スタッフB: 見た!こんなにですか?!
スタッフA: イベント明日だからね。
スタッフB: 明日の朝までなんて、ありえない…どうしよう。
スタッフA: みんなで分担すれば何とかなるよ。
スタッフB: そうだね。頑張るしかない!
Staff A: Did you see the to-do list?
Staff B: I did! This much?!
Staff A: The event is tomorrow after all.
Staff B: By tomorrow morning, that’s impossible… What should we do.
Staff A: If we divide it among everyone, we can manage somehow.
Staff B: You’re right. We have no choice but to do our best!
Related Panic and Overwhelm Expressions
Expressions of Being Overwhelmed
やばい – Oh no, this is bad
大変だ – This is terrible, tough
参った (まいった) – I’m beaten, I give up
困った (こまった) – I’m in trouble
手に負えない – Can’t handle it
無理だ – It’s impossible
パニックだ – I’m panicking
Asking for Help or Solutions
助けて – Help me
どうすればいい? – What should I do?
誰か手伝って – Someone help
アドバイスください – Please give me advice
何かいい方法ない? – Isn’t there a good way?
もう無理 – I can’t anymore
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: React to overwhelming situations
1. Boss gives you 100 pages to read by tomorrow
You say: ＿＿＿＿ですか?
2. Friend says test is tomorrow, not next week
You say: 明日＿＿＿…
3. You realize you forgot important appointment
You say: ＿＿＿…＿＿＿
Exercise 2: Complete the expressions
1. こんな＿＿＿ですか? (This many?)
2. ＿＿＿＿ない (Impossible)
3. ＿＿＿しよう (What should I do)
Exercise 3: Create panic dialogue
Write a short exchange where someone:
Sees overwhelming amount (こんなに)
Reacts to deadline (までなんて)
Expresses impossibility (ありえない/どうしよう)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Using ある instead of ありえない
Wrong: あるない (doesn’t exist as a word)
Correct: ありえない (impossible)
ありえない is a set expression
Mistake 2: Confusing こんなに with こんな
こんなに – degree/amount (adverb)
こんな – type/kind (adjective)
こんなにですか – This much?
こんな仕事 – This kind of work
Mistake 3: Using どうする instead of どうしよう
どうする – What do you do (asking others)
どうしよう – What should I do (worried self-talk)
Context determines which is appropriate
Mistake 4: Overusing these expressions formally
These are emotional, casual expressions
In formal situations, use more composed language
ありえません, どういたしましょうか, etc.
Key Takeaways for JLPT Students
こんなに is essential N4 vocabulary for expressing degree and amount. Understanding the こそあど demonstrative system is crucial.
まで is fundamental N5 grammar for expressing deadlines and endpoints. Combined with なんて, it creates strong emotional expression.
ありえない is a common N3-N2 expression that appears frequently in casual speech and represents modern colloquial Japanese.
どうしよう is one of the most natural, frequently-used expressions of worry and is essential for sounding natural in Japanese.
Cultural Context
Japanese Workplace Stress Culture:
These expressions reveal important aspects of Japanese work culture:
Unreasonable Deadlines: The scenario of こんなにですか and 明日までなんて reflects the reality of demanding Japanese workplace culture where overtime and tight deadlines are common.
Internal vs External Expression: Notice how ありえない and どうしよう are said after the boss leaves – Japanese workers often maintain composure externally while expressing stress internally or to peers.
がんばる Culture: Even when saying ありえない…どうしよう, the implication is usually that you’ll still try (徹夜するしかない – have no choice but to pull an all-nighter), reflecting the perseverance culture.
Emotional Release: These panic expressions serve as emotional outlets in a culture where direct complaint to superiors is less acceptable. They allow workers to process stress while still accepting the task.
Wrap-up
Today we explored three expressions that capture the emotional state of feeling overwhelmed: こんなにですか?, 明日の昼までなんて…, and ありえない…どうしよう