nezbývá než + Infinitive

No Option but to

Level 6

The pattern nezbývá než + infinitive means "there is no choice but to" or "nothing remains but to." It is used to express resignation when all alternatives are gone. The verb takes the default 3rd-person singular (neuter) form because the infinitive acts as its subject.

How It Works

This pattern is highly frequent in all registers of modern Czech. It carries a distinct nuance: unlike muset (must), which states a general obligation, nezbývá než emphasizes the elimination of all other options and a concession to circumstances. In informal, spoken Common Czech (obecná čeština), the present tense form is very frequently pronounced as nezbejvá.

Key Structural Rules:

  • Agreement, Tense, and Aspect: The verb takes default 3rd-person singular (neuter) agreement because the infinitive functions as its subject. If the pattern is expanded with the optional explicit subject nic or nic jiného (e.g., Nezbývá mi nic jiného než čekat), the pronoun nic becomes the actual subject of the sentence. The verb agreement remains 3rd-person singular neuter because nic is a neuter singular pronoun. The verb changes for tense and aspect, coming from the aspectual pair zbývat (imperfective) and zbýt (perfective): nezbývá (imperfective present), nezbývalo (imperfective past), nezbylo (perfective past), nezbude (preferred in formal and written registers) or nezbyde (colloquial perfective future), and conditional forms like nezbývalo by / nezbylo by.
  • Experiencer and Clitics: The person experiencing the lack of options is optional and takes the dative case (e.g., pronouns like mi, ti, mu, jí, nám, vám, jim, or regular nouns like studentům, Petrovi). Note that než acts as a hard boundary. A dative pronoun and a reflexive pronoun from the infinitive do not combine into a single clitic cluster; they belong to two separate phrases (e.g., in Nezbývá mi než se smát, mi is in the second position of the main clause and se is in the second position of the infinitive phrase).
  • Meaning of než: While often taught as "than" in comparisons (like než), in negative constructions like this, it functions as "but" or "except."
  • Polarity: Even though the main verb is negative (nezbývá), the infinitive following než is almost always positive.

Crucial Punctuation Rule:
Because the infinitive acts as a tightly bound sentence member (the subject) and not a full subordinate clause, standard Czech orthography dictates that no comma is written before než. This rule applies even when the optional subject nic jiného is used. Importantly, the length of the infinitive phrase does not dictate the comma rule: even long phrases with multiple objects or adverbials (e.g., Nezbývá mi nic jiného než čekat na nádraží až do rána) do not take a comma before než as long as there is no finite verb. However, there is a crucial exception: if the pattern expands into a full subordinate clause with a conjugated verb (usually with aby), a comma is required (e.g., Nezbývá, než abychom čekali.)

Examples (5)

  1. Nezbývá mi než souhlasit.

    I have no choice but to agree.

    Word by Word: It does not remain to me but to agree.

    The imperfective present tense form with the dative pronoun 'mi'.

  2. Nezbylo jim než čekat.

    They had no option but to wait.

    Word by Word: It did not remain to them but to wait.

    The perfective past tense form 'nezbylo' with the dative pronoun 'jim'. Notice there is no comma before 'než'.

  3. Pokud vlak nepřijede, nezbude nám než jít pěšky.

    If the train doesn't arrive, we will have no choice but to walk.

    Word by Word: If train does not arrive, it will not remain to us but to go on foot.

    The perfective future tense form 'nezbude' showing a future inevitability.

  4. Nezbývalo by mu než se vzdát.

    He would have no choice but to surrender.

    Word by Word: It would not remain to him but to surrender.

    The imperfective conditional form 'nezbývalo by'. Notice the clitic order: the dative 'mu' follows the main verb, while the reflexive 'se' stays with its infinitive.

  5. Nezbývá, než abychom čekali.

    There is nothing left to do but for us to wait.

    Word by Word: It does not remain, but that we wait.

    When the pattern expands into a full subordinate clause with a conjugated verb (here using 'aby'), a comma must be placed before 'než'.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing a comma before 'než'.

    Nezbylo mu, než se ukrýt.
    Nezbylo mu než se ukrýt.

    Because the infinitive acts as the subject of the impersonal verb 'nezbývá' rather than a full subordinate clause, standard Czech orthography dictates that no comma is placed before 'než'.

  • Using the accusative case instead of the dative for the experiencer.

    Nezbývá mě než odejít.
    Nezbývá mi než odejít.

    The verb 'zbývat' (to remain) requires the dative case for the person experiencing the lack of options (e.g., 'mi', 'mu', 'nám'), not the accusative.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

nezbývá než + InfinitiveLevel 6No Option but to

Learn This First

To understand 'nezbývá než + infinitiv', learners need to be familiar with verb negation and the use of the particle 'než' in comparative or restrictive contexts. Additionally, familiarity with impersonal verbal constructions that take an infinitive complement is necessary to grasp how the action is framed as the only remaining option.

Words in This Pattern

zbývatnež