Posted inN2 Grammar

JLPT N2 Grammar: てはいられない – “Cannot Afford to Keep Doing”

Posted inN2 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

This pattern expresses a strong feeling that one cannot continue doing something or cannot remain in a certain state. It implies a necessity or urgency to stop the current action/state and often move on to something else.

🎯 Primary Function

To convey that due to external circumstances, internal feelings, or a sense of urgency/obligation, one cannot afford to keep doing a specific action or remain in a particular state.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb て-form + はいられない

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in formal contexts to express a strong resolve or the unavoidable need to take action.

😊 Informal Situations

Commonly used in informal speech to convey impatience, urgency, or a personal resolve to change a situation.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently encountered in essays, news articles, and literary works to express critical situations or determination.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Often heard in daily conversations, especially when discussing time constraints, responsibilities, or urgent matters.

💡 Common Applications

Expressing Urgency
Used when there is no time to waste or when an immediate action is required.
Example: もう時間がない。のんびりしてはいられない。 (There’s no more time. We can’t afford to be relaxing.)
Stating Inability to Continue a State
When a current state (e.g., sadness, indecision) can no longer be maintained due to necessity.
Example: いつまでも悲しんでばかりはいられない。前に進むしかない。(I can’t stay sad forever. I have no choice but to move forward.)
Conveying Responsibility/Duty
When one feels obligated to act and cannot simply stand by.
Example: 困っている人を見捨てるなんて、私には見てはいられない。(I can’t just stand by and watch people in trouble.)
📊
Frequency
Moderately common for advanced learners (JLPT N2) and native speakers, especially in situations demanding decisive action or change.
🎚️
Difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced (N2). The challenge lies in understanding the nuance of “cannot afford to” rather than a simple “cannot do.”
Example Sentences
いつまでも遊んでばかりいてはいられない。そろそろ真剣に将来を考えなければ。
I can’t just keep playing around forever. I need to start seriously thinking about my future soon.
こんなところで休んではいられない。頂上まであと少しだ。
We can’t rest here. We’re almost at the summit.
会社が倒産寸前だ。ボーっとしてはいられない。
The company is on the verge of bankruptcy. I can’t just sit around doing nothing.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Implies Urgency or Necessity
The pattern strongly suggests that continuing the action is impossible or inappropriate due to external pressures, lack of time, or a sense of duty.
Example: このままではいられない。何かを変えなければ。(I can’t stay like this. I have to change something.)
Expresses Strong Personal Resolve
It often reflects the speaker’s determination to take action or change a situation, rather than just a simple inability.
Example: 泣いてばかりはいられない。立ち上がらなくては。(I can’t just keep crying. I have to stand up.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Confusing with Simple Inability
✅ Do not use てはいられない for a simple lack of ability. Use ～できない or ～ことができない instead.
てはいられない conveys “cannot afford to continue” or “must not continue,” not merely “am unable to do.” For example, if you physically cannot lift something, you use 持ち上げられない, not 持ち上げてはいられない.
❌ undefined
✅ undefined
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🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral to strong. While not inherently impolite, the strong tone implies conviction or urgency.
Social Situations: Often used in situations where one expresses a sense of responsibility, determination, or impatience regarding a situation that needs to change.
Regional Variations: The meaning and usage are generally consistent across regions in standard Japanese.

🔍 Subtle Differences

～てはいられない vs. ～場合ではない
てはいられない focuses on the impossibility/inappropriateness of *continuing* an action due to urgency. ～場合ではない means “it is not the situation/time to do X,” indicating that X is unfitting for the current circumstances.
When to use: Use てはいられない when the emphasis is on the inability to prolong an action or state because action is required. Use ～場合ではない when the emphasis is on the current situation making an action inappropriate or unsuitable.
～てはいられない vs. ～わけにはいかない
てはいられない conveys a strong personal inability or decision not to continue. ～わけにはいかない indicates that one *cannot* do something due to external reasons (rules, social norms, moral obligations), often implying a sense of reluctance to comply with the prohibition.
When to use: Use てはいられない when you personally feel you cannot or must not continue. Use ～わけにはいかない when an external force or social norm prevents you from doing something.
～てはいられない vs. ～ばかりはいられない
てはいられない is about the *current* action/state that cannot be continued. ～ばかりはいられない emphasizes that one cannot *always* be doing something, implying a need for variety or a change in routine/focus.
When to use: Use てはいられない for a single, immediate inability to continue an action/state. Use ～ばかりはいられない when talking about a recurring or prolonged action that cannot be maintained indefinitely.

📝 Conjugation Notes

Always attach to the て-form of a verb. It cannot be directly attached to nouns or i-adjectives. For negative forms (e.g., “cannot not do X”), it becomes complex and is usually rephrased.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounce 「てはいられない」 as a single phrase with a slight emphasis on 「いられない」, indicating the strong negative nuance. The 「は」 is pronounced as 「wa」.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of 「てはいられない」 as “cannot stay doing [action]” or “cannot afford to remain [state].” The “いられる” comes from いる (to be/stay) + られる (potential/passive), hence “can stay,” and “いられない” is its negative “cannot stay.”

Vocabulary List
のんびりする
nonbiri suru
to relax; to take it easy
真剣に
shinken ni
seriously
将来
shourai
future
頂上
choujou
summit; peak
倒産寸前
tousan sunzen
on the verge of bankruptcy
ボーっとする
boo~tto suru
to zone out; to do nothing
緊急
urgent; emergency
Kanji List
将来
しょうらい
future
真剣
しんけん
serious
頂上
ちょうじょう
summit
倒産
とうさん
bankruptcy
寸前
すんぜん
on the verge of
緊急
きんきゅう
urgent; emergency
話し合う
はなしあう
to discuss
頼る
たよる
to rely on
見捨てる
みすてる
to abandon
undefined
undefined
undefined
undefined
undefined
undefined
Practice Exercises
以下の文の空欄に最も適切なものを選択しなさい。 「もう試験まで時間がない。＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。」
遊んでいられない
遊ぶべきだ
遊ぶことができる
遊んでしまう
「友達が困っているのに、見てはいられない」の「見てはいられない」が表すニュアンスとして、最も適切なものはどれか？
友達を助けたいという強い気持ち
友達を無視したいという気持ち
友達を見るのが嫌だという気持ち
友達を見ることができない物理的な状況
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