JLPT N1Spoken and writtenBlame or regret

にかまけてtoo taken up with … to

Someone is so taken up with one thing that something else, which needed them, gets neglected. Said of others it is blame; said of yourself it owns up.

忙いそがしさにかまけて、家か族ぞくへの連れん絡らくを怠おこたってしまった。

I let being busy get in the way, and didn't keep in touch with my family.

How to form it

Noun + にかまけて

The noun is what takes all the attention: 仕し事ごと, 遊あそび, 育いく児じ, 趣しゅ味み, and above all 忙いそがしさ.

After it: What got neglected: 怠おこたる, おろそかにする, 後あと回まわしにする, 忘わすれる, ご無ぶ沙さ汰たする.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation among adults, essays, advice columns, and letters, where 忙いそがしさにかまけて opens many an apology. It is one to use.

In use

忙いそがしさにかまけて、すっかりご無ぶ沙さ汰たしております。

I have let being busy keep me from getting in touch for far too long.

A stock apology at the start of a letter or an email.

父ちちは仕し事ごとにかまけて、家か族ぞくを顧かえりみなかった。

My father was so taken up with his work that he gave no thought to his family.

彼かれはゲームにかまけて、提てい出しゅつ期き限げんを何なん度ども逃のがしている。

He is so wrapped up in games that he has missed deadline after deadline.

It lays blame

Being busy or absorbed is a reason. にかまけて adds that it was no excuse.

仕し事ごとが忙いそがしくて、子こどもの誕たん生じょう日びを忘わすれていた。

I was busy at work and forgot my child's birthday.

The plain reason.

仕し事ごとに夢む中ちゅうで、子こどもの誕たん生じょう日びを忘わすれていた。

I was so absorbed in my work that I forgot my child's birthday.

Absorbed, with no judgment in the word.

仕し事ごとにかまけて、子こどもの誕たん生じょう日びを忘わすれていた。

I let my work take over and forgot my child's birthday.

Absorbed, and at fault for it.

Close neighbours

にかこつけてN1

An excuse picked on purpose: an occasion becomes cover for what someone wanted to do anyway. With にかまけて nobody planned anything.

会かい社しゃの研けん修しゅうにかこつけて、週しゅう末まつは観かん光こうを楽たのしんだ。

I used the company training as an excuse for a weekend of sightseeing.

Check yourself

1Which ending fits?

彼かれは遊あそびにかまけて、（　　）。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

子こどもの運うん動どう会かい（　　）、父ちちは新あたらしいカメラを買かった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

It is the verb かまける, so other endings turn up:

仕し事ごとにかまけてばかりいないで、たまには子こどもと遊あそんであげて。

Don't be so wrapped up in work all the time. Play with the children once in a while.

More sentences

研けん究きゅうにかまけて、食しょく事じも睡すい眠みんも不ふ規き則そくになっていた。

I was so taken up with my research that I had stopped eating and sleeping at regular hours.

彼かの女じょは趣しゅ味みにかまけて、共きょう同どう作さ業ぎょうの連れん絡らくを後あと回まわしにしている。

She is so wrapped up in her hobby that she keeps putting off messages about the group project.

新しん作さくの開かい発はつにかまけて、既き存そんの利り用よう者しゃへの対たい応おうがおろそかになっていた。

We had been so taken up with developing the new product that support for existing users had been let slide.