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JLPT N2 Grammar

ずにはいられなかった

N2Obligation

N2 · Obligation · nai-form verb去掉ない + ずにはいられなかった

could not help doing; could not resist at the time

nai-form verb去掉ない + ずにはいられなかった

Shows that at a past moment, the speaker could not hold back because the emotion or situation was too strong.

The past form emphasizes an action or reaction that already happened.

友人の成功を聞いて、喜ばずにはいられませんでした。

When I heard about my friend's success, I could not help feeling happy.

It is close to ないではいられなかった, but ずには sounds more written.

The past いられなかった shows the speaker could not hold back then.

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