Cannot help but: 不免
Says that, given the situation, a feeling or result is natural and hard to avoid — usually a mildly unwelcome one. It never introduces a deliberate action.
Structure
情况，（主语）+ 不免 + （会／有点儿／有些）+ 感受／结果
Explanation
Chinese words in this text can be activated to show a dictionary gloss.
， “Taking part in such an important competition for the first time, he could not help feeling a little nervous.” links a situation to a reaction that follows from it naturally. The speaker is not blaming anyone; the point is that, under the circumstances, the reaction is understandable.
What follows is almost always a state or a reaction rather than a chosen action: nervousness, worry, homesickness, a mistake, a little disappointment. It often comes with , , or a directional complement such as : ， “As the exam drew closer, everyone began to feel anxious.”
is itself negative in form — + “avoid” — so it never takes a second negative. It is an adverb and follows the subject. Learners most often confuse it with , which is about an action someone is forced to take: ， “He ran short of money and had to go to the bank.” is about what happens to you; is about what you have to do.
Correct
Say each one out loud before moving on. The audio is a reference pronunciation, not a model to imitate exactly — match the tone contour, not the voice.
第一次参加这么重要的比赛，他不免有点儿紧张。第一次參加這麼重要的比賽，他不免有點兒緊張。
Dì (fourth tone, falling) yī (first tone, high and level) cì (fourth tone, falling) cānjiā (first tone, high and level) zhème (fourth tone, falling) zhòngyào (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) bǐsài, (third tone, dipping) tā (first tone, high and level) bùmiǎn (fourth tone, falling) yǒudiǎnr (third tone, dipping) jǐnzhāng. (third tone, dipping)···
Taking part in such an important competition for the first time, he couldn’t help feeling a little nervous.
一个人在国外生活，不免会想家。一個人在國外生活，不免會想家。
Yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) guówài (second tone, rising) shēnghuó, (first tone, high and level) bùmiǎn (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) jiā. (first tone, high and level)···
Living abroad on your own, you can’t help missing home.
考试的时间越来越近，大家不免着急起来。考試的時間越來越近，大家不免著急起來。
Kǎoshì (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) shíjiān (second tone, rising) yuè (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) yuè (fourth tone, falling) jìn, (fourth tone, falling) dàjiā (fourth tone, falling) bùmiǎn (fourth tone, falling) zháojí (second tone, rising) qǐlai. (third tone, dipping)···
As the exam drew closer, everyone inevitably began to feel anxious.
Incorrect — Common mistakes
These sentences are wrong. They are printed here on purpose, each one paired with the repair and the reason, because the error you can recognise is the error you stop making.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 第一次参加比赛，他不免不紧张。
Correct
Correct sentence: 第一次参加比赛，他不免有点儿紧张。
Why: 不免 already contains the negative. 不免不紧张 says the opposite of what is meant.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 钱不够了，他不免去银行取钱。
Correct
Correct sentence: 钱不够了，他不得不去银行取钱。
Why: Going to the bank is an action he is forced to take, which is 不得不. 不免 introduces feelings and results, not deliberate actions.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 不免他有点儿紧张。
Correct
Correct sentence: 他不免有点儿紧张。
Why: 不免 is an adverb and follows the subject.
Compared with
Most errors with this pattern are not errors about this pattern — they are a neighbouring pattern arriving at the wrong moment. Read these side by side.
会 on its own predicts: 一个人在国外生活，会想家 “Living abroad alone, you will miss home.” 不免会 adds a judgement on that prediction — that it is natural, understandable and hard to avoid, and usually somewhat unwelcome. Compare 他会紧张 “he will be nervous” with 他不免会紧张 “he can hardly help being nervous”: the second excuses the nervousness even as it predicts it.
Saying “can”: 会, 能 and 可以 →Mini quiz
Question 1 / 3Total score: 0
Fill the gap: 东西丢了，她心里 ___ 有些难过。