JLPT N1Spoken, roughDefiant

てやるI'll … just you watch

Rough, defiant resolve from someone fired up or furious: "I'll win, just you watch". Aimed at someone, it means doing something to spite them: "I quit, so there".

defiance

あいつには負まけない。次つぎの試し合あいでは必かならず勝かってやる。

I'm not losing to him. Next match I'll win, just you watch.

spite

もう、お母かあさんに言いいつけてやる。

Right, I'm telling Mom on you.

How to form it

Verb in the て-form + やる

勝かつ → 勝かってやる, 辞やめる → 辞やめてやる. The てやる that does someone a favor looks the same; in this one, nobody is being done a favor.

Said about: Yourself. Often muttered to no one.
Who says it: In manga, anime and dramas, the hero, the rival and the villain. In life, anyone fired up or out of patience. Said to someone's face, the vow is rough and heard more from men; getting back at someone is anyone's.

Defiance

Someone says you can't, or the thing has beaten you before. No enemy is needed: a race or an exam will do.

A

お前まえには無む理りだよ。

You'll never manage it.

B

うるさい。絶ぜっ対たいやってやる。

Shut up. I'll do it, just you watch.

ここで逃にげるものか。最さい後ごまで走はしり切きってやる。

No way am I quitting here. I'll run this to the end if it kills me.

Spite: getting back at someone

In the past it is a small triumph.

A

彼かれ、また約やく束そくを忘わすれたの？

He forgot your plans again?

B

うん。だから電でん話わ、無む視ししてやった。

Yeah. So I ignored his call. Serves him right.

腹はらが立たったから、はっきり言いってやった。

I was so angry that I told him exactly what I thought.

こんな会かい社しゃ、辞やめてやる。

I've had it with this company. I quit!

Not a plan. A door being slammed.

いつか絶ぜっ対たいに見み返かえしてやる。

One day I'll show them all.

てみせる or てやる?

Both turn a plain 勝かつ into a vow. てみせる has someone to prove it to; てやる has someone or something to beat.

てみせるN1

Determined, not rough. As てみせます it can be said to a teacher or a boss.

絶ぜっ対たいに勝かってみせる。

I'll win. You'll see.

てやるN1This page

The same vow with a clenched fist: rough, defiant, and out of place in polite speech.

絶ぜっ対たいに勝かってやる。

I'll win if it's the last thing I do.

Close neighbours

てやる (a favor)N4

てあげる, for a pet. To a person it is rough: a favor to a little brother or your own child. Someone is better off for it.

弟おとうとの宿しゅく題だいを見みてやった。

I looked over my little brother's homework for him.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

明日あしたの試し験けん、絶ぜっ対たい満まん点てんを取とってやる。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which would you say at a job interview?

Choose an answer to see why.

3What did this person do?

頭あたまに来きたから、彼かれの分ぶんのケーキも食たべてやった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

もう言いい訳わけはしない。今日きょうこそ全ぜん部ぶ片かたづけてやる。

No more excuses. Today I'm getting it all done, whatever it takes.

この難なん問もん、朝あさまでに解といてやる。

I'll crack this problem by morning, just watch.

今いまは無む名めいでも、いつか必かならず世せ間けんを驚おどろかせてやる。

I may be a nobody now, but one day I'll make the world sit up.

誰だれに笑わらわれても、この企き画かくは成せい功こうさせてやる。

No matter who laughs at me, I'll make this project a success.

どれだけ時じ間かんがかかっても、真しん相そうを突つき止とめてやる。

However long it takes, I'll get to the truth.