JLPT N1 grammar
〜に至って(は) — Meaning & Examples
"Now that it's reached the point of X" — a single, serious extreme. 事態がここに至っては、もう後戻りできない.
〜に至って(は) — "Now That It's Reached the Point of X"
に至って(は) marks that a situation has reached a serious, often irreversible extreme — "now that things have gotten as far as X..."
Pattern: [noun／verb dictionary form] + に至って(は)
事態がここに至っては、もう後戻りできない。
= Now that things have come to this point, there's no turning back.
倒産に至って、ようやく経営の甘さに気づいた。
= Only once it reached bankruptcy did they finally realise how lax their management had been.
息子が逮捕されるに至っては、両親も黙っていられなかった。
= Once it got to the point of their son being arrested, even the parents couldn't stay silent.
Key feeling: A heavy sigh — things escalated step by step, and NOW, at this extreme point, something has to give (or it's too late).
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜に至って(は). Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 「事態がここに至っては、もう後戻りできない。」 means?
- Now that things have come to this point, there's no turning back
- Things can still easily be reversed
- The situation has not changed at all
- Nothing serious has happened
Show answer
Answer: Now that things have come to this point, there's no turning back
に至って(は) = now that it's reached the point of X — marking a serious, often irreversible extreme.
2. What is the key difference between に至って(は) and に至るまで?
- They are identical in all uses
- に至るまで only works with numbers
- に至って(は) = arriving at one serious extreme point; に至るまで = covering a whole range from one thing to another
- に至って(は) cannot follow verbs
Show answer
Answer: に至って(は) = arriving at one serious extreme point; に至るまで = covering a whole range from one thing to another
に至って(は) marks a single destination/extreme; に至るまで marks an exhaustive span or range, leaving nothing uncounted.
3. 息子が逮捕されるに至っては、両親も黙っていられなかった。 expresses?
- A minor, unremarkable event
- Nothing happened to the parents
- The son was never arrested
- A serious escalation that finally forced a reaction
Show answer
Answer: A serious escalation that finally forced a reaction
に至って(は) marks that things escalated to a serious extreme (the arrest) — at which point silence was no longer possible.
Practise 〜に至って(は) in the free app
This point is part of the “Up To, Covered In & As Much As — に至って(は)・に至るまで・からある(からの)・まみれ” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N1 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N1 grammar points
From the same lesson: Up To, Covered In & As Much As — に至って(は)・に至るまで・からある(からの)・まみれ
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜に至って(は) mean?
"Now that it's reached the point of X" — a single, serious extreme. 事態がここに至っては、もう後戻りできない.
Is 〜に至って(は) on the JLPT N1 test?
〜に至って(は) is taught in the JLPT N1 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Up To, Covered In & As Much As — に至って(は)・に至るまで・からある(からの)・まみれ”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜に至って(は)?
Open the “Up To, Covered In & As Much As — に至って(は)・に至るまで・からある(からの)・まみれ” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N1 mock exams, with no ads.