cannot help but ~, cannot help ~ing

Advanced

20-30 min

common

Expert Reviewed

Explanation

Expresses inability to resist doing something.

[Verb negative stem ず] + にはいられない

その話を聞いて、笑わずにはいられなかった。

Sono hanashi wo kiite, warawazu ni wa irarenakatta.

Hearing that story, I couldn't help but laugh.

彼の努力を尊敬せずにはいられない。

Kare no doryoku wo sonkei sezu ni wa irarenai.

I cannot help but respect his efforts.

Similar to ～ないではいられない.

～ならいざ知らず

~ might be one thing, but; leaving ~ aside

～てやまない

earnestly wish/hope, never stop ~ing

～をものともせずに

not being daunted by ~, in spite of ~

～んがため(に)

in order to ~, for the purpose of ~ (formal/literary)

JLPTBooks Editorial Team

Japanese Language Education Specialists

Last updated: Jan 10

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