ざるを得ない ざるをえない - Grammar Discussion

Grammar Points
#1

can’t help doing
have no choice but

Structure

  • Verb[ない] + ざるを得ない

:warning: する→せ ざるを得ない

[often used in formal settings]

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#2

What is the difference in nuance between ずにはいられない and ざるを得ない?

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#3

@Hadros232232
Hey :smiley:

ざるを得ない nuance is that there is no choice, but to do something due to some circumstances like a social norm or something being urgent (often speaker doesn’t want to do it). It has formal nuance, but it is also used in spoken language. have no choice to do something, be compelled to, cannot help doing

「仕事がしたくないけど、せざるを得ない。」
“I don’t want to go to work, but have no choice but to go there.”

ずにはいられない nuance is that the speaker wants to suppress some desire, but despite it, he does it. Cannot help doing something, cannot resist doing something. It has formal nuance, ないではいられない is a casual variant (Also ず version is shorter so people use it in casual speech too).

「ダメだとわかっていたけど、武の秘密をメアリに漏らさずにはいられなかった。」
I knew it was bad thing, but I couldn’t resist telling Mary Takeshi’s secret.

「子猫を見ると撫でずにはいられない。」
If I see a cat I cannot resist petting it.

I hope it helps,
Cheers!

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#4

What’s the difference between ざるを得ない and しかない?

1 Like
#5

@Batbrie
Hey and long time no see! :partying_face:

ざるを得ない is more formal and has more complicated conjugation.
Also cannot be used with nouns, unlike しかない (in this case meaning “only”/“nothing but”):

問題を解決する方法は一つしかない 。
There is only one way to solve the issue.

I hope it helps,
Cheers!

1 Like
#6

I have a feeling, it can be used with nouns in combination with やむを得ない?
That brings to to the question, this point of grammar should be maybe included somewhere.
I have found it in a 新幹線マスター N2 book as

人はやむを得ない理由で働いており、お金がたくさんあったら働かないだろう。

兵糧が尽きれば、撤退もやむを得ない。
兵糧が尽きれば、撤退せざるを得ない。

The grammar is basically the same(except the referred person) and やむを得ない as in the first example can come by itself too.
Can we add something here or even make an own section? (If you think of it as an own grammar point ofc)

Best Regards!

#7

My answer to 思掛かけない出会であいに、感動_______________
is せざるをえない。 But it is marked as incorrect. Why? The example of the same sentence seems to add せ to 感動 but the exercise does not. I have logged out and logged back in (and even entered my answer w/out せ）but Bunpro will not mark my answer as correct.
Thank you very much in advance for any suggestions from anyone.

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#8

You’re using the right verb but the wrong tense. :slight_smile:
せざるをえない
せざるをえなかった

1 Like
#9

Oh, duh!! :man_facepalming: Can’t believe I overlooked that. Thanks so much for replying. :bowing_man:

1 Like