TAKOBOTO

Can't avoid doing x
I can't not go [always double-neg] = I have to / I must go
どうしても〜しなければならない

いかざるをえない。

I must go.

みんなできめたきそくだから、まもらざるをえない。

the rules are decided by everybody, so you must obey them

せいせきがわるくて、りゅうねんせざるをえない。

My grades are bad so I have no choice but to repeat the year.

このかんがえにははんたいせざるをえない。

I have to oppose this idea.

われわれはだきょうせざるをえない。

We have no choice but to compromise.

このぶんではよていをへんこうせざるをえないだろう。

At this rate, we'll have to change the schedule.

なにかをせざるをえないというばあい、それをさまたげたりさけたりできないといういみである。

If you say that you cannot help doing something, you mean you cannot prevent or avoid it.

わたしはそうかんがえざるをえない。

I cannot help thinking so.

しゃちょうがはんたいしたら、われわれはけいかくをかえざるをえない。

We are subject to change our plans if the president disagrees.

どうじょうのなみだをきんじえない。

I cannot help crying for sympathy.

かれのしょうたいはうけざるをえない。

I can't but accept his invitation.

かれはしんでしまったとかんがえざるをえない。

I could not but think that he was dead.

ぼくはにちようびにはたらかざるをえないちちにどうじょうする。

I feel for my father, who has to work on Sundays. [M]

いきたくないけれど、ぶちょうのめいれいだから、いかざるをえない。

I don't want to go, but because it's the manager's order, I have no choice but to go.

きんがくがおおきくてわたしにはしはらえないので、ちちにえんじょをたのまざるをえない。

The amount of money was huge and I couldn't pay it, so I had no choice but to ask my father for assistance.

たいせつなひとをようごせざるをえない。

Forced to defend an important person.

ともだちがかしてくれたじしょをでんしゃにわすれちゃったので、あたらしいのをかわざるをえないきがします。

I left the dictionary my friend lent me on the train, so I feel compelled to buy a new one.

〜ざるを得ない: 〜したくないが．．．しなければならない

誠

This is an auxiliiary indicating that there is no other choice but to do something. Possible translations include: cannot help 〜ing; cannot help but; have no choice but to have to.

Ｖneg + ざるを得ない
Examples: 食べざるを得ない // 行かざるを得ない
Exception: する -> せざるを得ない

rubyhatchet

＊Be very careful as to when you replace one of these phrases with another.

Ｖneg + ざるを得ない : used in a situation where one has no choice but to do something.

Ｖ + しかない : used in a situation where one has no choice but to do something.

Ｖneg + なければならない : used in a situation where one has to do something because s/he has an obligation to do it OR where one has no choice but to do something.

Ｖneg + わけに(は)いかない : used in a situation where one has to do something because s/he has an obligation to do it OR where one has no choice but to do something. It also expresses the unwillingness of the speaker to do Ｖ.

rubyhatchet

Lit (sort of) : Unable to obtain not doing ___

Amatuka

Note the verb form 〜ざる is a left over from a classic form that is now pretty much out of general use.
(Don't ask me more, please ;-)

Amatuka

Hmm, on second thoughts I'm only about 60% sure it's the negative of うる and not the negative of える.

That word's a pain.

Amatuka

isnt える and うる the same verb in this case?

pgb

Please see the comment by bamboo4 in [uru]. ざるを得ない is one word and always read as ざるをえない. There is no ざるを得る.

Miki

Formed from v-nai base + ざるをえない.
e.g. 行く→行かない→行かざるをえない

Vn = V-nai base

Amatuka

ざる is an archaic particle indicating negation. It's root form is ず and it inflects as ず/ざら、ず/ざり、ざる/ぬ、ざれ/ね but its imperative form is ざれ. In tbis manner, it has very unique inflections.
行かざる means not going, which is denied by えない so that it becomes "not going is not capable," the double negative thus resulting in "I must go."

bamboo4

#4293 is not acceptable. 同情の涙を禁じ得ない would be the correct diction. ざるを得ない is not appropriate so that this example does not belong to this head.

bamboo4

#4293 grammatically is not wrong, but the meaning is very strange. Because 〜ざるを得ない means you have to do 〜even you don't want to, and 禁じる means 抑える or suppress,
So, 同情の涙を禁じざるを得ない means:
You have to suppress tears of sympathy, even if you didn't want to (suppress).

Whereas, 同情の涙を禁じ得ない means(which is more natural in this case):
You couldn't suppress/stop tears of sympathy (of dropping down).同情の涙を抑えることができない

誠

Thank you guys. I felt something wrong but I didn't notice that point. I found a better entry "kinjienai" for the example but I cannot do now.

Miki