JLPT N1Spoken and writtenExasperated

始し末まつだit has even come to this

Things went from bad to worse, and this is the last, worst thing someone did. You are exasperated at them: "and now it has come to this".

小こ遣づかいを一いっ週しゅう間かんで使つかい切きり、その後ごは友ゆう人じんに昼ちゅう食しょく代だいまで借かりる始し末まつだ。

He got through his allowance in a week, and after that it came to borrowing even his lunch money from friends.

How to form it

Verb (dictionary or ない-form) + 始し末まつだ

借かりる始し末まつだ, 来こない始し末まつだ. The past goes on the end: 借かりる始し末まつだった.

Before it: The last, worst step. The earlier ones usually come first in the same sentence, and ついには, とうとう, 最さい後ごには or あげくに leads in. まで or さえ, "even", is common.
Tone: Exasperated and critical. About yourself, rueful.
Where you'll meet it: Novels, columns, commentary. Out loud too, when someone is telling how badly things went.

In use

何なん度ど説せつ明めいしても資し料りょうを読よまず、最さい後ごには会かい議ぎにも来こない始し末まつだ。

However many times it was explained, he wouldn't read the materials, and in the end he didn't even come to the meeting.

最さい初しょは言いい訳わけをし、次つぎには記き録ろくを書かき換かえ、最さい後ごには責せき任にんを部ぶ下かに押おしつける始し末まつだった。

First he made excuses, next he altered the records, and in the end he went as far as pushing the blame onto one of his staff.

改かい善ぜんを何なん度どもお願ねがいしたのですが、今いまでは作さ業ぎょう記き録ろくさえ残のこさない始し末まつです。

We have asked them again and again to improve, and by now they don't even keep a work log.

最さい近きんは物もの忘わすれがひどく、自じ分ぶんの電でん話わ番ばん号ごうさえ思おもい出だせない始し末まつだ。

My memory has gotten so bad lately that I can't even remember my own phone number.

About yourself.

この始し末まつだ, 始し末まつに負おえない

Two set phrases. この始し末まつだ points at the sorry state in front of you: "and look at the result". 始し末まつに負おえない is "impossible to deal with".

あれほど注ちゅう意いしたのに、この始し末まつだ。

After all my warnings, just look at this.

あの子こは一いち度ど泣なき出だすと、始し末まつに負おえない。

Once that child starts crying, there's no dealing with him.

始し末まつだ or 羽は目めになる?

彼かれは遅ち刻こくを繰くり返かえし、ついには無む断だん欠けっ勤きんする始し末まつだ。

He kept turning up late, and now it has come to staying away without a word.

What he sank to. You are fed up with him.

結けっ局きょく、全ぜん部ぶ自じ分ぶんでやる羽は目めになった。

In the end I got stuck with doing it all myself.

What you got stuck with. You didn't choose it.

Close neighbours

羽は目めになるN1

"End up having to": circumstances land someone, often you, with something unwelcome. It can warn of what is coming, too.

このまま修しゅう正せいを先さき延のばしにすると、週しゅう末まつも出しゅっ勤きんする羽は目めになる。

If we keep putting off the corrections, we'll end up having to come in on the weekend too.

あげく（に）N2

Joins a long, wearing process to its sorry end, in the middle of a sentence. 始し末まつだ ends the sentence, and the two often go together.

散さん々ざん迷まよったあげく、その日ひは何なにも買かわずに帰かえった。

After dithering for ages, I went home that day without buying anything.

Check yourself

1Which ending fits?

弟おとうとは授じゅ業ぎょうをさぼるようになり、とうとう（　　）始し末まつだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

2How does the writer feel about her?

彼かの女じょは約やく束そくを何なん度ども破やぶったあげく、連れん絡らくもしてこない始し末まつだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

By itself 始し末まつ is how a thing ends up, or the dealing with it: 後あと始し末まつ is the clearing up afterward.

More sentences

何なん度ど注ちゅう意いされても遅ち刻こくを繰くり返かえし、ついには連れん絡らくさえしなくなる始し末まつだ。

However often he was warned, he kept turning up late, and in the end he stopped even calling in.

経けい費ひ削さく減げんを急いそぐあまり、必ひつ要ような修しゅう理りを先さき延のばしにし、とうとう安あん全ぜん点てん検けんまで省はぶく始し末まつだ。

In their hurry to cut costs they put off repairs that were needed, and it has finally come to skipping even the safety checks.