～だらけ: meaning and how to use it (JLPT N3 grammar)

At a glance

～だらけ means "full of" or "covered with" something. It is usually used for things you don't want, like mistakes, mud, dust or garbage.

Noun + だらけ

この作文さくぶんは間違まちがいだらけです。 This composition is full of mistakes.

だらけ attaches directly to a noun. It then works like a noun, so it takes だ, の, に and で after it.

Use	Form	Example	Meaning
End of sentence	Noun + だらけだ／です	部屋へやがごみだらけだ	The room is full of garbage
Past	Noun + だらけだった／でした	靴くつが泥どろだらけでした	My shoes were covered in mud
Before a noun	Noun + だらけの + Noun	傷きずだらけの車くるま	A car covered in scratches
Change of state	Noun + だらけになる	泥どろだらけになる	To get covered in mud

Do not put a particle between the noun and だらけ: 間違まちがいだらけ, not 間違まちがいがだらけ.