Use にかまけて to highlight that someone is so absorbed in one thing that they neglect everything else.
## What does にかまけて mean?
Use **にかまけて** when you want to say that a person is so busy concentrating on one activity or matter that they fail to attend to other important things. It carries an implication of **neglect** or **irresponsibility**.
Natural translations include:
- to be too busy with; to be engrossed in; to concentrate only on; to let oneself be absorbed in (to the detriment of other things)
The meaning depends heavily on context. The core idea is **single-minded focus that causes neglect**.
## How to form にかまけて
Attach **にかまけて** directly to a **noun**. The noun represents the task or distraction that consumes the person’s attention.
仕事にかまけて、家族をかえりみない。
He is so busy with work that he neglects his family.
遊びにかまけて、宿題をまったくしない。
She concentrates only on having fun and doesn’t do her homework at all.
趣味にかまけて、家事が疎かになっている。
So caught up in his hobby that household chores are being neglected.
勉強にかまけて、友達との約束をすっかり忘れていた。
Too caught up in studying and completely forgot a promise with a friend.
準備にかまけて、本番に遅れてしまった。
I was so focused on preparations that I ended up late for the actual event.
After reading each sentence, ask what **にかまけて** signals: focus on one thing causing failure elsewhere. That concept will stick better than a one-word English translation.
## Nuance of にかまけて
The key nuance is **single-minded preoccupation that makes you overlook or ignore something important**. This is not neutral busyness — there is always a negative outcome implied.
When someone says
にかまけて vs に専念して
にかまけて
Preoccupation that leads to neglect
Use when the focus causes a lack of attention to other responsibilities — negative nuance.
仕事にかまけて、健康を害した。
So absorbed in work that he ruined his health.
に専念して
Devoting oneself to a single goal
Neutral or positive — you are concentrating on one thing because it is important, without necessarily ignoring duties.
研究に専念して、成果を上げた。
Devoted himself to research and achieved results.
If you replace **にかまけて** with **に
❌
仕事をかまけて、遅刻した。
✅
仕事にかまけて、遅刻した。
にかまけて always takes the particle **に**, not **を** — never use をかまけて.
❌
遊んでかまけて、勉強しなかった。
✅
遊びにかまけて、勉強しなかった。
Attach にかまけて to a **noun**, not a te-form or verb stem. Use the noun form of the action (遊び, not 遊んで).
❌
趣味にかまけて、とても楽しかった。
✅
趣味に専念して、とても楽しかった。
Don’t use にかまけて when the result is purely positive; に専念して or に夢中で would be appropriate.
## Is にかまけて on the JLPT?
Yes. **にかまけて** is standard **JLPT N1** grammar. It appears most often in reading comprehension passages about work-life balance, education, or social commentary.
1
Use にかまけて in a sentence about a student who ignores chores because of club activities.
basic
2
Write a sentence where a company president focuses on expansion but ignores employee well-being.
context
3
Replace にかまけて with に専念して in your sentence from 1. Does the meaning change? Explain briefly.
compare
4
Create a dialogue snippet where one person gently criticizes another using にかまけて.
speaking
## Learning path for にかまけて
To master **にかまけて**, understand its formation and negative nuance first, then sharpen your instinct through contrast.
1
Practice attaching にかまけて to a variety of nouns: 仕事, 遊び, 趣味, 準備, 勉強. Make sure you always use に.
2
Pair each noun with a resulting neglect: 仕事にかまけて→家族を顧みない, 遊びにかまけて→宿題をしない. This solidifies the cause–neglect link.
3
Replace にかまけて with に専念して in your sentences. Notice how the tone shifts from critical to neutral or positive. This contrast is often tested in N1 reading.
4
Read editorials or essays that use にかまけて. Underline the noun it attaches to and the consequence that follows. Check if you can infer the writer’s stance.
5
Write a short paragraph describing a person who is にかまけて, using the sentence structures you practiced. Aim for formal, natural flow.
## Related grammar to review next
- [に](/blog/n1-ni/) — the fundamental particle, essential for understanding where にかまけて fits among N1 に patterns
- [に