This means you must do something. You have no other choice. You are forced to do it.
Verb [ない-form] + ざるを得ないPrimary
This means you must do something. You have no other choice. You are forced to do it.
プロジェクトの遅延により、我々は計画を見直さざるを得ない。
Due to the project delay, we have no choice but to revise the plan.
父が急に倒れたため、大学進学を諦めざるを得なかった。
Because my father suddenly collapsed, I had no choice but to give up on going to university.
やりたくない仕事でも、生活のためにはやらざるを得ないことがある。
Even if it's a job you don't want to do, there are times you have no choice but to do it in order to make a living.
反対意見もあったが、最終的には社長の提案に賛成せざるを得なかった。
Although there were opposing opinions, in the end we had no choice but to agree with the president's proposal.
増税を受け入れざるを得ない状況に、国民の不満が高まっている。
Public dissatisfaction is growing over the situation in which they have no choice but to accept the tax increase.
This phrase means you have no choice. It is very formal. '〜しかない' is more common. It means the same thing. '〜ほかない' is also formal. But '〜ざるを得ない' shows you are forced. It is not your own choice. This is different from '〜ないわけにはいかない'. That means you must do something. It is a social rule or duty.
Watch out: This grammar uses an old way to say 'not'. It is not the modern 'ない'. You use the same verb form as before 'ない'. For most verbs, you take the 'ない' form. Then you remove 'ない'. After that, you add 'ざるを得ない'. For example, '飲む' (to drink) becomes '飲まない'. Then it becomes '飲まざるを得ない'. But 'する' (to do) is special. It becomes 'せざるを得ない'. It does not become 'しざるを得ない'.
Don't use this when you want to do something. For example, don't say "I have to eat this cake" if you really want to eat it.
Often confused with(1)
Contrasts with(6)
More formal alternatives(1)
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