しまつだ

Come to This

Level 4Sounds Like shimatsuda

The grammar pattern しまつだ (始末だ) is used to express that a situation has reached a final, negative, or pathetic state after a series of unfortunate events. It translates to 'ended up in this mess' or 'came to the point where...'

How It Works

しまつだ (often written in kanji as 始末だ) is a grammar pattern used to mark the 'final straw' or the worst stage of a situation. The word 始末（しまつ） literally refers to the management or settlement of an affair, but in this pattern, it implies a 'pathetic settlement' or a 'sorry state of affairs.'

Key Characteristics:

  • Negative Nuance: It is strictly used for regrettable or shocking outcomes. You cannot use it for a positive achievement.
  • Process-Oriented: It implies that things were already going poorly, and this final result is the peak of that failure.
  • Register and Emotion: It is common in everyday spoken Japanese and casual writing when complaining or venting to express exasperation, appallment, or disbelief. Because it carries strong subjective emotion, it is generally avoided in objective formal reports.
  • Subject (Self vs. Others): While frequently used to criticize someone else's behavior, it can also be used regarding oneself to express deep self-deprecation or regret.

Grammatical Structure:

  • Verbs: Usually attaches to the Dictionary Form or the Nai-form. Even if the event happened in the past, the verb before しまつ most commonly remains in the present/dictionary form (though V-た and V-ている are occasionally used); the final です/だ/だった indicates the tense.
  • Restrictions: This pattern does not attach to adjectives or nouns, with the exception of demonstratives like この, その, あの, こんな, そんな, or あんな.
  • Contextual Buildup: This pattern often follows a sequence of negative events marked by 〜し or 〜うえに to list the problems leading up to the final result.
  • Variations: Frequently appears as 〜という始末だ to describe the specific nature of the bad outcome.
  • Mid-Sentence Usage: It frequently appears mid-sentence as 〜始末で to connect to a concluding thought (e.g., 「...という始末で、本当に困っている」).
  • Demonstratives: Frequently appears as この始末だ (It's come to this mess), あの始末だ, こんな始末だ, そんな始末だ, or あんな始末だ to refer to a previously mentioned disaster.
  • Emphasis: Often paired with 〜あげく (after all that) or adverbs like とうとう, ついに, or しまいに（は） to emphasize the long, negative process leading up to the result.
  • Common Pairings: Often used with the particle まで (even) to show the extreme extent of the situation, or with the 〜てしまう form to emphasize the regrettable nature of the outcome.

Examples (4)

  1. 彼は借金を重ねたあげく、親の金まで盗む始末だ。

    After piling up debts, he finally ended up stealing money from his own parents.

    Word by Word: He debt piled up after, parents' money even steal end-up-result is.

    This shows a progression from debt to the 'worst-case' action of stealing from family.

  2. せっかく留学させたのに、息子は勉強もせず遊び回り、結局退学する始末だ。

    Despite the effort of sending him abroad, my son just played around without studying and ended up dropping out.

    Word by Word: With effort study abroad sent despite, son study also not-doing playing-around, eventually drop-out end-up-result is.

    The speaker uses しまつだ to express deep disappointment in the final outcome of the son's behavior.

  3. 何度も注意したのに、彼はまた同じミスをして、この始末だ。

    Even though I warned him many times, he made the same mistake again, and this is the [pathetic] result.

    Word by Word: Many times warned despite, he again same mistake doing, this end-up-result is.

    Using 'この始末だ' points directly to the current messy situation as a result of repeated failures.

  4. 昨夜は飲みすぎて、自分の家の住所さえ言えない始末だった。

    I drank too much last night and ended up in such a state that I couldn't even say my own home address.

    Word by Word: Last night drank-too-much, own house address even cannot-say end-up-result was.

    Here, the Nai-form (言えない) is used to show the pathetic state of being unable to do a basic task.

Common Mistakes

  • Using しまつだ for positive or neutral results.

    一生懸命勉強して、合格する始末だ。
    一生懸命勉強して、ついに合格した。

    しまつだ implies a 'mess' or a 'deplorable state.' Passing an exam is a positive achievement, so using this pattern sounds like you think passing the exam was a pathetic disaster.

  • Using the past tense verb before しまつだ by default for past events.

    会社をクビになった始末だ。
    会社をクビになる始末だ。

    While native speakers occasionally use the past tense (〜た始末だ) or progressive state (〜ている始末だ), the standard and most natural choice is the dictionary form, even for past events. The tense is usually carried by the final copula (だ/だった).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

しまつだLevel 4Come to This

Learn This First

しまつだ (始末だ) is used to describe a situation that has gradually worsened until it reached a final, deplorable state. To understand it, learners need to know how to modify nouns with clauses and understand the basic copula. Familiarity with other 'regret' patterns like 'te shimau' helps in grasping the negative nuance of this expression.

Words in This Pattern

始末