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Home N2 Grammar Pattern List 〜てやる

N2

〜てやる

Meaning

The base meaning is doing something for an inferior or junior party, or for animals and plants, etc. (e.g., 弟に買ってやる、花に水をやる). From this comes a usage expressing the speaker's strong will, especially a determination charged with defiance, retaliation, or competitive spirit. In this volitional usage, with the feeling of 「今に見ていろ」, it is used as 「見返してやる」「辞めてやる」. The latter is casual spoken language.

Examples
  1. 弟に自転車を買ってやった。 I bought my younger brother a bicycle.
  2. いつか必ず見返してやる。 Someday I'll definitely prove them wrong.
  3. こんな会社、辞めてやる。 A company like this—I'll just quit.
  4. 絶対に成功してやると心に決めた。 I made up my mind that I would succeed no matter what.