Warned you
Idioms, Stage 4chunk 6 of 22Talking & listening
Warning ahead, telling someone again and again, and 'I told you so' afterwards.
- nen o osumake sure by telling someone again, stress, remind firmlyliterally “press one's concern onto it”
- iwan kotcha naiI told you soliterally “it's not as if I didn't say it”
- kugi o sasuwarn someone firmly in advanceliterally “drive in a nail”
- mimi ni tako ga dekiruheard it a million timesliterally “a callus forms on your ears”
- kuchi o suppaku shite iutell someone over and overliterally “make one's mouth sour saying it”
Mix-ups nen o osu (remind to make sure) vs kugi o sasu (stern warning in advance); mimi ni tako ga dekiru is the listener's complaint, kuchi o suppaku shite iu the speaker's.
nen o osu
polite nen o oshimasu
“press one's concern onto it”
make sure by telling someone again, stress, remind firmly
Saying something again to make sure the other person has really understood or will really do it: ichiou nen oshitoku kedo... (just to be sure...). kugi o sasu is the stronger move, a warning not to do something.
Related: nen no tame (just in case).
ichiou nen oshitoku kedo, ashita juuji da yo.
Just to be sure: it's ten o'clock tomorrow.
一応念押しとくけど、明日十時だよ。
ichiou nen o oshite okimasu ga, ashita juuji desu yo.
Just to make sure, it's ten o'clock tomorrow.
一応念を押しておきますが、明日十時ですよ。
Written 念を押す · ねんをおすHeard 25× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside kugi o sasuMain list ichiou (Stage 4), -toku (Stage 1)
iwan kotcha nai
“it's not as if I didn't say it”
I told you so
In English: I told you so
Said when things go wrong after someone ignored your warning: hora, iwan kotcha nai (see, I told you). It's a contraction of iwanai koto ja nai and sounds a bit parental. Friends also say dakara itta desho.
Everyday alternative: dakara itta desho.
hora, iwan kotcha nai. nomisugi da yo.
See, I told you so. You drank too much.
ほら、言わんこっちゃない。飲みすぎだよ。
Written 言わんこっちゃない · いわんこっちゃないHeard 18× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside mimi ni tako ga dekiru, kuchi o suppaku shite iuMain list iu (Stage 2), -nai (Stage 1)
kugi o sasu
polite kugi o sashimasu
“drive in a nail”
warn someone firmly in advance
Warning someone ahead of time not to do something, like telling, being late or overspending. It's often heard in the passive, kugi o sasareta (I was warned). nen o osu only double-checks; kugi o sasu is a warning.
dare ni mo iu na tte, kugi sasareta.
I got warned not to tell anyone.
誰にも言うなって、釘刺された。
dare ni mo iu na tte, kugi o sasaremashita.
I was told in no uncertain terms not to tell anyone.
誰にも言うなって、釘を刺されました。
Written 釘を刺す · くぎをさすHeard 16× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside nen o osuMain list -areru / -rareru (Stage 2), daremo (Stage 4)
mimi ni tako ga dekiru
polite mimi ni tako ga dekimasu
“a callus forms on your ears”
heard it a million times
The tired reply to advice or a story you've heard over and over, usually as mimi ni tako ga dekiru hodo kiita. The tako is a callus, not an octopus, though people joke about it. kuchi o suppaku shite iu is the same thing from the speaker's side.
Slangy short form: mimitako (mimitako da yo).
sono hanashi, mimi ni tako ga dekiru hodo kiita yo.
I've heard that one a million times.
その話、耳にタコができるほど聞いたよ。
sono hanashi, mimi ni tako ga dekiru hodo kikimashita yo.
I've heard that story more times than I can count.
その話、耳にタコができるほど聞きましたよ。
Written 耳にタコができる · みみにたこができるHeard 5× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside iwan kotcha nai, kuchi o suppaku shite iuMain list dekiru (Stage 1), kiku (Stage 2)
kuchi o suppaku shite iu
polite kuchi o suppaku shite iimasu
“make one's mouth sour saying it”
tell someone over and over
In English: till I'm blue in the face
A parent's or teacher's exasperation at a warning repeated many times, usually in the past: kuchi o suppaku shite itta desho. mimi ni tako ga dekiru is the same thing from the listener's side.
are hodo kuchi o suppaku shite itta noni.
And I told you over and over!
あれほど口を酸っぱくして言ったのに。
are hodo kuchi o suppaku shite iimashita yo ne.
I told you again and again, didn't I?
あれほど口を酸っぱくして言いましたよね。
Written 口を酸っぱくして言う · くちをすっぱくしていうHeard 3× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside iwan kotcha nai, mimi ni tako ga dekiruMain list iu (Stage 2), -te (Stage 1), -noni (Stage 1)