← Grammar bank

Formation: V-て form + は + いられない (いられる = potential of いる)

〜てはいられない says that circumstances no longer allow you to stay in a state or keep doing something. It usually signals urgency or a decision to act: 'I can't just sit here'. It goes with verbs describing an ongoing state or a passive attitude, such as のんびりする, 黙る, 待つ, 甘える, and set phrases like じっとしてはいられない and うかうかしてはいられない. It is used in both speech and writing. In casual speech it becomes 〜ちゃいられない or 〜てらんない. Do not confuse it with 〜ないではいられない, which means you can't stop yourself from doing something. 〜わけにはいかない stresses a social or moral reason, and 〜どころではない means the situation is too serious for something.

Variants: 〜てはいられません、〜ちゃいられない、〜ではいられない (after 〜んで: 休んではいられない)

Examples

• 試験まであと一週間だ。のんびりしてはいられない。
  The exam is only a week away. I can't afford to take it easy.
• こんな不正を見て、黙ってはいられない。
  I can't just stay silent after seeing this kind of wrongdoing.
• いつまでも親に頼ってはいられない。
  I can't keep relying on my parents forever.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

No post has used this pattern yet. Examples from real texts will appear here.