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This is from a textbook I'm currently studying, and the paragraph in question is about someone's perspective on life etc.

あまり幸福じゃなくてもいいから、ごく普通に平凡な家庭を築きたい。人生にチャレンジですか？ちょっとそうしたい気持ちもあるんですけど、そうすると、それにははまっちゃいそうで。そうすると、結婚もできなくなるじゃないかと思うんです。

I understand the first part of the paragraph "I don't have to be happy, but I'd like to establish a normal family life". I also understand the meaning of はまっちゃいそう as "to be hooked on something", but I don't understand it in this context. Would someone please be able to explain this to me? Also, are they saying "I don't know if I can get married"?.

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    Hello and welcome to Japanese.SE! Your question title "please translate" doesn't really describe the problem in your question (maybe something like "What exactly does はまっちゃいそう mean in this sentence?"). Also, context (as in where did you come across this text) is always very helpful for providing more accurate translaions/explanations. Could you update your question by clicking "edit"? Thank you.
    – Earthliŋ ♦
    Commented Apr 3, 2015 at 10:33
  • It seems that your translation of はまっちゃいそう doesn't reflect the そう（だ） part.
    – user1478
    Commented Apr 3, 2015 at 11:47
  • Isn't it それにはまっちゃいそう? I mean, are there really two は there?
    – naruto
    Commented Apr 3, 2015 at 12:04

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The only part that's missing from your question is the translation of 人生にチャレンジ. He's saying that if he chooses a チャレンジ "self-challenge"(?) for his life (rather than an ordinary life), he might get hooked on whatever the challenge is and he thinks that then he may not be able to get married.

チャレンジ implies doing something out of the ordinary (e.g., starting up a business in France). It's not clear why he thinks he can't get married if he chooses to pursue a チャレンジ rather than an ordinary life, but I guess by "not get married" he is thinking he might not be able to return to the status quo family life of a Japanese (that he now would even choose over being happy).

In any case, はまっちゃいそう means exactly what it usually does.

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  • I'm reading this but I'm confused over the use of 人生にチャレンジですか？ in the given text. What exactly is the challenge? Is it his happiness? Pursuing a normal life? Where it doesn't add up to me is where ですか is where I'm expecting するか, because with ですか it sounds like he's asking "Is it a challenge in my life?" instead of "Should I challenge my life?" or "Will I challenge my life?"
    – psosuna
    Commented Oct 4, 2017 at 18:23

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