chatta?

[stevesayskanpai]

This line is from intermediate lesson 33,

一生懸命走ったのに、徒競走で負けちゃった。

I don't understand the difference between 負けた　and 負けちゃった。　Can you help? Is "chatta" a particularly feminine ending?

Thanks!

[Javizy]

It is a contraction of -te shimau, and is used commonly to express completion of an action in sentences like 'keeki o zenbu tabechatta / he ate all the cakes', or regret or criticism 'ame ni furarechatta / it rained on me'. The interpretation can often go either way, and will usually be picked up from context, speaking tone, etc.

'keeki o zenbu tabechatta'

This example could take both interpretations: the speaker could be focusing on the fact that the guy managed to finish the whole box of cakes (completion), or could be expressing that he thinks the guy is a pig (criticism), or wanted one for himself (regret).

Be aware though, that chau changes to jau for de shimau, e.g. nonde shimau > nonjau.

[QuackingShoe]

It's also used by both sexes, but is supposedly more feminine than ちまう (じまう), which is the same thing. e.g. 食べちまう. I see men flip-flop between the two, but it doesn't really seem as common on the whole.