JLPT N2Spoken and writtenUrgency

てはいられない・てばかりはいられないcan't go on …ing

Time is short or something needs doing, so you can't stay as you are: "I can't go on …ing", "this is no time to be …ing".

もう締しめ切きりまで一いち時じ間かんしかない。迷まよってはいられない。

There is only an hour left until the deadline. I can't go on hesitating.

いつまでも落おち込こんでばかりはいられない。明日あしたからまた練れん習しゅうを始はじめる。

I can't stay down forever. I'll start practicing again tomorrow.

How to form it

Verb in the て-form + はいられない

待まって → 待まってはいられない. Polite いられません. The は can drop, and in conversation ては is ちゃ: 待まっちゃいられない.

Can't just keep …ing

Verb in the て-form + ばかりはいられない

泣ないてばかりはいられない. Also with も: てばかりもいられない.

Before it: What you are doing, or would like to be doing: のんびりする, 待まつ, 寝ねる, 迷まよう.
Why: Mostly the situation: a deadline, a danger, work waiting. Now and then a feeling: 黙だまってはいられない, "I can't keep quiet".
Where you'll meet it: Conversation, novels, manga, pep talks.

てはいられない and ずにはいられない

They look alike and mean opposite things. いられない is "can't stay". After て, you can't stay doing it, so you stop. After ず or ないで, you can't stay without doing it, so you do it.

いつまでも泣ないてはいられない。明日あしたからまた仕し事ごとだ。

I can't go on crying forever. It's back to work tomorrow.

"Can't go on doing": the situation won't allow it. You stop crying.

この映えい画がは、何なん度ど見みても泣なかずにはいられない。

However many times I watch this film, I can't help crying.

"Can't help doing": the feeling is too strong. You cry.

In use

雨あめが強つよくなってきた。ここで待まってはいられない。急いそいで避ひ難なんしよう。

The rain is getting heavier. We can't stay here waiting. Let's get to safety, quickly.

試し験けんまであと一いっ週しゅう間かんだ。のんびりしてはいられない。

The exam is a week away. This is no time to be taking it easy.

もうこんな時じ間かんか。こうしちゃいられない。

Is it that late already? I can't just sit here.

こうしてはいられない as it is said, usually while jumping up.

Can't just keep …ing: てばかりはいられない

ばかり is "nothing but": you have been doing only this, and it is time to do something else.

失しっ敗ぱいを悔くやんでばかりはいられない。原げん因いんを調しらべて、次つぎに生いかそう。

I can't just keep kicking myself over the failure. Let's find the cause and put it to use next time.

話はなしてばかりはいられません。そろそろ作さ業ぎょうを始はじめましょう。

We can't just keep talking. Let's get started on the work.

売うり上あげは伸のびたが、喜よろこんでばかりもいられない。

Sales are up, but we can't just sit back and celebrate.

After good news, often with も: it isn't the whole story.

Close neighbours

ずにはいられないN2

"Can't help doing": a feeling is too strong, so you do it.

その写しゃ真しんを見みて、笑わらわずにはいられなかった。

When I saw that photo, I couldn't help laughing.

てばかりいるN3

"Does nothing but": a complaint. Nothing in it says it has to stop.

妹いもうとは試し験けん前まえなのに、友とも達だちと話はなしてばかりいる。

My little sister has an exam coming up, yet all she does is chat with her friends.

わけにはいかないN3

"Can't very well": what stops you is duty or manners, not a lack of time.

部ぶ下かがまだ作さ業ぎょうしているのに、私わたしだけ帰かえるわけにはいかない。

My staff are still working, so I can't very well be the only one to go home.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

もう八はち時じだ。（　　）。早はやく出でかけよう。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

いつまでも休やすんでばかりはいられない。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

結けっ果かを待まつ間あいだも、何なにもせずに座すわってはいられない。できる準じゅん備びを進すすめよう。

Even while we wait for the results, I can't just sit here doing nothing. Let's get on with whatever we can prepare.

文もん句くを言いってばかりはいられない。自じ分ぶんたちで解かい決けつ策さくを考かんがえよう。

We can't just keep complaining. Let's work out a solution ourselves.

友ともだちがあんなふうに言いわれて、黙だまってはいられなかった。

Hearing my friend talked about like that, I couldn't keep quiet.

Here a feeling is doing the pushing.