Japanese に限って: precisely when things go wrong

The idea

Attach に限って to a noun such as 時 or 日. A clause can modify that noun: 忙しい時に限って means “precisely when I am busy.” The following clause describes the surprising, often unwelcome event.

Examples

• 急いそいでいる時ときに限かぎって、電車でんしゃが遅おくれます。The train is late precisely when I am in a hurry.
• 大事だいじな日ひに限かぎって、雨あめが降ふります。It rains precisely on important days.
• 傘かさを持もっていない日ひに限かぎって、雨あめが降ふります。It rains precisely on days when I do not have an umbrella.
• 忙いそがしい時ときに限かぎって、電話でんわが鳴なります。The phone rings precisely when I am busy.
• 出でかける朝あさに限かぎって、子こどもが熱ねつを出だします。My child gets a fever precisely on mornings when I am going out.
• 早はやく寝ねたい夜よるに限かぎって、眠ねむれません。I cannot sleep precisely on nights when I want to go to bed early.

Watch out

This is not simply a neutral “only”: it conveys the speaker’s frustration or surprise. に限る can instead state a restriction or recommendation, depending on context.

Try it yourself

1. 忙いそがしい時とき＿＿、電話でんわが鳴なります。

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   に限って

   に限って — Attach the whole expression to 時 to single out the busy occasion.

2. 傘かさがない日ひに＿＿、雨あめが降ふります。

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   限って

   限って — に is already present; add 限って to complete the expression.

3. 早はやく寝ねたい＿＿に限かぎって、眠ねむれません。

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   夜

   夜 — A noun naming the occasion precedes に限って; 夜 fits wanting to sleep early.

Use it today

Describe two inconvenient coincidences using 時 and 日, and explain why they surprise you.