〜ずには済まない
JLPT N1:cannot avoid / must
Social responsibility, serious circumstances or inevitable consequences make an action unavoidable.
How to form it
- Replace ない in the ない form with ずには済まない: 謝らない becomes 謝らずには済まない.
- する becomes せずには済まない.
- The pressure comes from duty or circumstances, rather than an uncontrollable inner urge.
Examples
会社に損害を与えた以上、謝らずには済まない。
Having caused the company a loss, I cannot avoid apologizing.
ここまで知られたら、真実を話さずには済まないだろう。
Now that this much is known, we will have no choice but to tell the truth.
Common mistakes
- Confusing it with 〜ずにはいられない, which describes an internal urge.
- Using it for a merely convenient choice.
Similar meaning
- 〜ずにはいられないcan't help doing
ずにはいられない is an urge from within; ずには済まない is pressure from duty or circumstances.
Same form, different meaning
- 〜ずに済むmanage without / avoid having to
ずに済む says you avoid doing X; ずには済まない says you cannot avoid it.