All JLPT grammar
N1

Verb ば きりがない

Indicates there's no end once you start listing, doing, or saying something: 'If one starts to..., there will be no end.'

At a glance

Verb-ば + きりがない means "if you start to do it, there is no end". It is used when there are so many things to list, say, or worry about that you could go on forever.

[Verb ば-form] + きりがない

理由りゆうを挙あげればきりがない。 If I started listing the reasons, there would be no end.


How to form it

Put the verb in its ば-form, then add きりがない.

Verb group Dictionary form ば-form With きりがない
う-verb 言いう 言いえば 言いえばきりがない
る-verb 挙あげる 挙あげれば 挙あげればきりがない
する 心配しんぱいする 心配しんぱいすれば 心配しんぱいすればきりがない
来くる 来くる 来くれば Rare with this pattern

きりがない conjugates like ない:

Form Casual Polite
Present きりがない きりがありません
Past きりがなかった きりがありませんでした

Examples

  • 悪口わるくちを言いい始はじめればきりがない。

    Once I start speaking ill of someone, there's no end.

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The rest of the lesson

When to use it, common mistakes, nuances and a quick check, with spaced repetition to make it stick.

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