cannot help but, cannot resist

Intermediate

20-25 min

common

Expert Reviewed

Explanation

Same as ないではいられない but more literary.

[Verb ない stem] + ずにはいられない

彼女の笑顔を見ると、笑わずにはいられない。

Kanojo no egao wo miru to, warawazu ni wa irarenai.

When I see her smile, I cannot help but smile.

この本は感動せずにはいられない。

Kono hon wa kandou sezu ni wa irarenai.

One cannot help but be moved by this book.

More literary than ないでは.

～ないではいられない

cannot help but, cannot resist

～に違いない

must be ~, no doubt that ~, undoubtedly

～に関して/関する

regarding ~, concerning ~, about ~

～について/つい

about ~, concerning ~

～に伴って/伴い/伴う

along with ~, as ~ (changes)

Common in written Japanese.

JLPTBooks Editorial Team

Japanese Language Education Specialists

Last updated: Jan 2

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