Feeling and strong impression

～てならない

cannot help feeling; cannot stop ...ing

AI-written, reviewed by AI (ChatGPT)

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How to form it

  • Verb (て-form) + ならない
  • い-adjective (くて) + ならない
  • な-adjective stem + で + ならない

Register: Written to neutral

Explanation

Expresses a feeling or thought that rises spontaneously and cannot be suppressed.

Often with verbs of thinking and feeling (気になる, 思われる, 心配だ). It is more inward and sounds more written than てたまらない.

Examples

  1. 彼の将来が心配でならない。

    かれのしょうらいがしんぱいでならない。

    I can't help worrying about his future.

  2. 試験の結果が気になってならない。

    しけんのけっかがきになってならない。

    I can't stop thinking about the exam results.

  3. 昔のことが思い出されてならない。

    むかしのことがおもいだされてならない。

    I can't stop remembering the old days.

Compare with

  • ～てたまらない: てたまらない is for strong sensations and desires; てならない is for thoughts and feelings that keep rising.
  • ～ずにはいられない: ずにはいられない is an urge to act; てならない is a feeling that you cannot shake off.

Common mistakes

  • Using it with an action verb in plain form. It attaches to feeling or state expressions.