しかないhave no choice but to
Every other option is gone, and this is the only thing left to do: "I'll just have to". Word for word, やるしかない is "there is nothing except doing it".
The last train has already left, so we have no choice but to take a taxi home.
If no one else will take it on, I'll just have to do it myself.
How to form it
Verb dictionary form + しかない
待つしかない. Polite しかありません. Past しかなかった, "had no choice but to".
- Before it
- The one thing still possible. Something has ruled out the rest: no trains, no time, no money, nobody else.
- The feeling
- Giving in (待つしかないね, "we'll just have to wait") or steeling yourself (やるしかない, "I've just got to do it").
- Where you'll meet it
- Conversation, all the time. Writing too.
In use
The other restaurants are closed too, so I guess we'll just have to eat here.
Neither the bus nor a taxi is available, so we'll just have to walk to the venue.
I had no umbrella, so all I could do was go home wet.
The verb in front stays positive
Not said: 今日は
(I have no choice but not to go today.)
What people say: 行くのをやめるしかない, or あきらめるしかない, "I'll just have to give up".
しかたがない, しょうがない: it can't be helped
Nothing can be done about it, so you accept it. しょうがない is the more casual of the two, and しかたない drops the が. They often come just before しかない.
Oh well. We'll just have to walk.
The trains have stopped, so it can't be helped.
Three kinds of "have to"
English "have to" covers all three. One meeting, said three ways.
There is no one to go in my place, so I'll just have to attend tomorrow's meeting myself.
なければならないN5
The plain "must": a rule or a need, nothing more.
Everyone has to attend tomorrow's meeting.
"I can't very well not": you have other options, but duty or what people would think rules them out.
Since I made a promise, I can't very well skip tomorrow's meeting.
Close neighbours
After a noun or an amount it is plain "only": that is all there is.
I only have one thousand yen in my wallet.
The written twin, for reports, essays and speeches. より can drop: 待つほかない.
As all means of transportation are unavailable, there is no alternative but to proceed to the venue on foot.
Check yourself
1What is this person saying?
もう、
Choose an answer to see why.
2You give up on the trip. Which one is right?
Choose an answer to see why.
More sentences
The trains aren't running, so we'll just have to walk.
All the appointments are booked. I'll just have to wait until next week.
If this road is impassable, we'll have to take the long way around.
The computer is broken and cannot be repaired, so I'll have to buy a new one.
If we cannot increase the budget, we will have to scale back the plan.