modality N1 uncommon casualwritten
〜羽目になる — to end up stuck in
〜羽目になる ・ はめになる
Meaning
- to end up (stuck) having to ~ — through circumstances one lands in an awkward or unwelcome situation, often self-inflicted
Key sentence
終電を逃して、歩いて帰る羽目になった。
I missed the last train and ended up having to walk home.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb dictionary-form | V-る + 羽目になる |
Examples
安請け合いしたせいで、休日も働く羽目になった。
Because I agreed too readily, I ended up having to work on my day off too.
嘘がばれて、皆の前で謝る羽目になった。
My lie was found out, and I ended up having to apologize in front of everyone.
Easily confused with
ことになる ことになる neutrally reports a decision or outcome ('it's been decided that ~'). 羽目になる stresses ending up in an unwelcome predicament, often through one's own doing. 始末だ 始末だ presents the wretched end-state at the close of a deteriorating process. 羽目になる focuses on getting forced into an awkward situation.
Notes
- Always negative — the situation is an unwanted consequence.
See 〜羽目になる in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜羽目になる the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.