Posted inN3 Grammar

ても始まらない (temo hajimarana): Learning from the Past, Moving Forward in Japanese

Posted inN3 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

It’s no use; There’s no point in; It won’t do any good.

🎯 Primary Function

Expresses that doing something (or dwelling on something) is pointless, useless, or will not change the current situation or outcome.

📋 Grammar Structure

[Verb て-form] + も始まらない (mo hajimarana)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in more formal settings to dismiss a futile action or complaint, though its tone is inherently dismissive.

😊 Informal Situations

Commonly used in informal conversations to express exasperation or to urge someone to stop dwelling on the past or a useless action.

✍️ Written Language

Appears in written language, including essays, articles, and fiction, often in dialogue or when expressing a strong opinion about futility.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Very common in spoken Japanese, used to advise someone to move on or to state that something is a waste of time/effort.

💡 Common Applications

Advising someone to stop regretting the past.
Used to tell someone that regretting or worrying about something that has already happened is useless and won’t change anything.
Example: いくら後悔しても始まらないよ。前を向こう。(Ikura koukai shitemo hajimarana yo. Mae wo mukou.) – No matter how much you regret it, it won’t do any good. Let’s look forward.
Pointing out the futility of an action.
Used to state that attempting a particular action is pointless because it will not achieve the desired result or is already too late.
Example: 今から急いでも会議には間に合わない。もう始まらない。(Ima kara isoide mo kaigi ni wa maniawanai. Mou hajimarana.) – Even if you hurry now, you won’t make it to the meeting. There’s no point anymore.
Dismissing useless complaints or worries.
Used to tell someone that complaining or worrying about something is unproductive and won’t improve the situation.
Example: 文句を言っても何も解決しない。言っても始まらない。(Monku wo ittemo nani mo kaiketsu shinai. Ittemo hajimarana.) – Complaining won’t solve anything. There’s no point in saying anything.
📊
Frequency
Moderately frequent, particularly in spoken Japanese.
🎚️
Difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced (N3)
Example Sentences
終わったことを悔やんでも始まらない。
There’s no use regretting what’s over.
今さら言い訳をしても始まらないよ。
There’s no point in making excuses now.
彼に頼んでも聞いてもらえないだろうから、頼んでも始まらない。
He probably won’t listen even if I ask him, so there’s no point in asking.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Focus on futility or lack of consequence
This pattern specifically emphasizes that the action in the て form will not lead to a desired outcome or change the situation, making it pointless.
Example: 泣いても始まらない。(Naitemo hajimarana) – Crying won’t do any good (it won’t solve the problem).
Often used to encourage moving forward
By stating that something is futile, it often implies that one should stop doing that thing and focus on something productive or the future.
Example: 過去のことを気にしても始まらない。これからどうするか考えよう。(Kako no koto wo ki ni shitemo hajimarana. Kore kara dou suru ka kangaeyou.) – There’s no point in worrying about the past. Let’s think about what to do from now on.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using it when the action *could* actually help.
✅ Ensure the action described by the て-form is genuinely useless or too late.
This pattern is for genuinely futile actions, not merely difficult ones.
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🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Can range from slightly blunt/direct to relatively neutral depending on context and intonation. Less formal than some other expressions of futility.
Social Situations: Frequently used among equals, family, or close friends. Can be used to advise subordinates but might sound too direct towards superiors.
Regional Variations: Widely understood and used across Japan.

🔍 Subtle Differences

ても始まらない vs. ても仕方がない (てもしかたがない)
しても仕方がない often implies resignation or acceptance of a difficult situation that cannot be changed, sometimes with a nuance of “there’s nothing we can do.” しても始まらない more strongly emphasizes the *lack of productivity or point* in the specific action mentioned.
When to use: Use ても始まらない when stressing that an action is useless or won’t yield results. Use ても仕方がない when accepting an unchangeable negative situation.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

Connects to the て-form of verbs. Always followed by 始まらない (hajimarana).

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pay attention to the slight pause often before も and the natural flow of ても始まらない.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of 始まらない (hajimarana) as “it doesn’t start [anything]” or “it leads to nothing.” So, “Even if you do X (ても), it won’t start anything (始まらない).”

Practice Exercises
試験に落ちてしまった。いくら____（悲しむ）も始まらない。
悲しんで
悲しんでも
悲しみに
悲しむと
もう店は閉まっているよ。今から____（行く）も始まらない。
行くと
行けば
行っても
行き
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