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JLPT N1 Very formal / literary

Verb nai dewa sumanai

'Cannot end without doing', 'must do' - an unavoidable moral or social necessity.

Formal, literary "cannot end without doing/is a moral obligation" - a social/moral necessity, not just circumstance.

Formation

Explanation

The grammar Verb ないではすまない expresses that something must be done (often for moral, social, or personal reasons) and cannot be left undone. It implies an obligation or inevitability, akin to 'I can't get away without doing it.'

Example sentences

  • If you make a mistake, you have to apologize—there’s no way around it.

    Shippai o shitara, ayamaranai de wa sumanai.

  • This issue is so serious that I must report it.

    Kono mondai wa jūdai na node, hōkoku shinai de wa sumanai.

  • This movie is so moving that you can’t help but cry.

    Kono eiga wa totemo kandōteki de, nakanai de wa sumanai.

  • If a child makes a mistake, you must correct them—there’s no avoiding it.

    Kodomo ga machigaetara, oshienai de wa sumanai.

Inevitable (Cannot Help But)