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JLPT N2Modal Expressions

～ずにはいられない— Simply Cannot Resist

Expresses that one cannot help doing something — an urge or emotion so strong that the action is involuntary. It means 'cannot help but…' or 'can't stop oneself from…' It conveys a spontaneous, irrepressible impulse, often emotional.

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Pro lessonUNIT 28 · MODAL EXPRESSIONS

Structure · 形

[Verb ない-form (drop ない)] + ずにはいられない

Examples · 例文

  • あの映画を見ると、泣かずにはいられない。

    Ano eiga o miru to, nakazu ni wa irarenai.

    Whenever I watch that movie, I can't help but cry.

    泣く → 泣かず + にはいられない = crying is unavoidable

  • 彼の話を聞いて、笑わずにはいられなかった。

    Kare no hanashi o kiite, warawazu ni wa irarenakatta.

    Hearing his story, I couldn't help laughing.

    笑う → 笑わず, past 〜なかった = couldn't stop laughing

  • この状況では、心配せずにはいられない。

    Kono joukyou de wa, shinpai sezu ni wa irarenai.

    In this situation, I can't help worrying.

    する → せず (irregular) + にはいられない = worrying is inevitable

Usage notes · 注意

  • する becomes せず (せずにはいられない), not しず.
  • Describes an emotional or physical impulse beyond one's control.
  • Slightly formal/literary; ないではいられない is the more colloquial equivalent.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～ずにはいられない is tested against.

vs～ないではいられない

Nearly identical in meaning; ずにはいられない is more formal/written, while ないではいられない sounds more conversational.

vs～ざるを得ない

ざるを得ない means forced to do something by external circumstances/obligation; ずにはいられない is driven by an internal, spontaneous emotional urge.

More modal expressions

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