JLPT N1Spoken and writtenWarning or resignation

ばそれまでだ・たらそれまでだthen that's the end of it

If that one thing happens, then that's the end of it: everything done so far comes to nothing, and nothing more can be done. It is a sober warning, or plain resignation.

この交こう渉しょうでは、相あい手ての信しん用ようを失うしなったらそれまでだ。

In this negotiation, if we lose the other side's trust, it is all over.

どんなに準じゅん備びしても、当とう日じつ雨あめが降ふればそれまでだ。

However much you prepare, if it rains on the day, that's the end of it.

How to form it

Verb + ば／たら + それまでだ

失うしなえばそれまでだ and 失うしなったらそれまでだ mean the same. Without それ it is another expression: やるまでだ, "I'll simply do it"; やったまでだ, "I only did it".

Before it: The one thing that would finish everything: 失うしなう, 諦あきらめる, 見みつかる, 死しぬ, 間まに合あわない. Often as てしまえば.
Often with: どんなに…ても or いくら…ても in front: however much has gone into it.
Tone: Flat and final.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation and writing alike.

In use

いくら実じつ力りょくがあっても、規き則そく違い反はんで出しゅつ場じょう資し格かくを失うしなえばそれまでだ。

No matter how talented you are, if a rule violation costs you your eligibility to compete, it is all over.

どれだけ厳げん重じゅうに管かん理りしても、暗あん証しょう番ばん号ごうを他た人にんに教おしえたらそれまでだ。

However tightly it is guarded, tell someone else the PIN and that's the end of it.

いくらお金かねをためても、死しんでしまえばそれまでだ。

However much money you save, once you're dead, that's that.

Two things to know

と言いえばそれまでだが

After 言いう it concedes a point: you could say so, and the talk would end there. A "but" follows.

運うんが悪わるかったと言いってしまえばそれまでだが、準じゅん備び不ぶ足そくだったのも事じ実じつだ。

You could put it down to bad luck and leave it at that, but it is also true that we were underprepared.

それまでだ by itself

With the condition already said, it is "then that's that".

A

もし断ことわられたら、どうするの。

What will you do if they say no?

B

そのときはそれまでだよ。

Then that's that.

Close neighbours

たら最後・たが最後N1

Once it happens there is no going back, and the sentence usually goes on to what can't be stopped or undone. ばそれまでだ has nothing to add: all is lost.

彼かれは話はなし始はじめたら最さい後ご、止とまらない。

Once he starts talking, there's no stopping him.

までだ・までのことだN1

Straight after a verb, with no それ. After a dictionary form it is calm resolve: "I'll simply …". After a た-form: "I only …".

電でん車しゃが止とまったら、駅えきから歩あるいて帰かえるまでだ。

If the trains stop running, I will simply walk home from the station.

までもないN1

"No need to go that far": a step is not needed, because the answer is already plain or the matter is too small.

この程てい度どの傷きずなら、病びょう院いんへ行いくまでもない。

For a wound this minor, there is no need to go to the hospital.

それまで (until then)N5

With a verb after it, それまで is the plain "until then".

開かい店てんは十じゅう時じです。それまでここで待まちましょう。

The shop opens at ten. Let's wait here until then.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

いくら練れん習しゅうしても、試し合あいに出でられなければそれまでだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What is the writer doing?

好このみの問もん題だいだと言いってしまえばそれまでだが、…

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

これまでだ is the same thought at the end itself: "this is it". もはやこれまで is a stock line of period dramas.

More sentences

どんなに優すぐれた設せっ計けいでも、必ひつ要ような部ぶ品ひんが手てに入はいらなければそれまでだ。

However excellent the design may be, if the necessary parts are unavailable, that is the end of it.

計けい画かくは、完かん成せい前まえに資し金きんが尽つきればそれまでだ。

If the funding runs out before completion, that is the end of the project.

何なん年ねんかけて開かい発はつしても、安あん全ぜん基き準じゅんを満みたせなかったらそれまでだ。

Even after years of development, if the safety standards cannot be met, all that work is for nothing.

交こう渉しょうを続つづけたいが、先せん方ぽうが席せきを立たったらそれまでだ。

I want to keep negotiating, but if the other side walks away, that is the end of it.

元もとのデータもバックアップも失うしなったらそれまでだ。

If both the original data and the backup are lost, it is all over.