ISORI

〜てならない

JLPT N3:

can't help feeling

Says a feeling or thought comes on its own and cannot be stopped: "can't help feeling…", "terribly…". It is more formal than てたまらない.

How to form it

  • Put the word in its て-form and add ならない: 気(き)になってならない (I can't stop worrying about it).
  • な-adjectives take で: 残念(ざんねん)でならない (terribly disappointing).
  • It suits feelings that arise by themselves, and verbs like 思(おも)える (seem) and 気(き)がする (have a feeling).

Examples

残念(ざんねん)でならない。

I'm terribly disappointed.

彼(かれ)のことが気(き)になってならない。

I can't stop thinking about him.

Similar meaning