Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 1: 3/23

ざるを()ないCan't help doing, Have no choice but

する→ざるを得ない, くる→ざるを得ない

Structure

Verb[ない+ ざる得ない

Details

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    Formal

About ざるを得ない

ざる is the 連体形(れんたいけい) (attributive form) of the old-fashioned auxiliary verb ざり. ざり carries the same meaning as the modern ない, in negating what comes before it.

When joined with a combination of the る-Verb () 'to gain', or 'to acquire', and the auxiliary verb ない, it becomes a double-negative structure meaning that one 'cannot help doing (A)', or 'there is no choice but to (A)'. More literally, it means that one 'can't not (A)'.

For the most part, this structure will conjugate with other verbs in exactly the same way as ない.

Caution

As ざり is an old-fashioned structure, it conjugates a little bit differently with する than the regular ない.

  • フランスの大学(だいがく)()くため、フランス()勉強(べんきょう)しざるを()ない。
    In order to go to a college in France, I have no choice but to study French. (Unnatural Japanese)
  • フランスの大学(だいがく)()くため、フランス()勉強(べんきょう)ざるを()ない
    In order to go to a college in France, I have no choice but to study French. (Natural Japanese)

Notice here that instead of しない changing to しざる, せざる will be used instead.

Examples

--:--

    サプライズのプレゼントに、(おどろ)かざるを()なかった

    I couldn't help but be surprised at the surprise present.

    (おも)()けない出会(であ)いに、感動(かんどう)せざるを()なかった

    I couldn't help but be moved at the chance meeting.

    田中(たなか)さんはとても(いそが)しかったのでゴルフの(さそ)いを(ことわ)らざるを()なかった

    Mr. Tanaka was so busy he had no choice but to turn down an invitation to play golf.

    (ふる)家屋(かおく)倒壊(とうかい)する(おそ)れがあるから、(こわ)さざるを()ません

    The old building is at risk of collapsing, so I have no choice but to tear it down.

    (いま)まで使(つか)った顕微鏡(けんびきょう)(こわ)れたから、(あたら)しいのを()わざるを()ない

    The microscope I have been using until now broke, so I have no choice but to buy a new one.

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      ざるを得ない – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (8 in total)

      • Pushindawood

        Pushindawood

        can’t help doing
        have no choice but

        Structure

        • Verb[ない] + ざるを得ない

        する→せ ざるを得ない

        [often used in formal settings]

        View on Bunpro

      • Hadros232232

        Hadros232232

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

      • mrnoone

        mrnoone

        @Hadros232232
        Hey

        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 s...

      • Batbrie

        Batbrie

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

      • mrnoone

        mrnoone

        @Batbrie
        Hey and long time no see!

        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!

      • Razael

        Razael

        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!

      • Greenlama

        Greenlama

        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.

      • FredKore

        FredKore

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

      • Greenlama

        Greenlama

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

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