expression
Polite expression used to convey that a situation is beyond one's control and must be accepted. Often used in formal apologies or explanations.
See also: やむを得ない
交通渋滞で遅刻しましたが、やむを得ませんでした。
I was late due to traffic congestion, but it couldn't be helped.
このような結果になったことは、やむを得ません。
It is unavoidable that things turned out this way.
Plain form of the same expression; used in casual or written contexts, while やむを得ません is the polite version.
More casual and common expression meaning 'it can't be helped'; やむを得ません is more formal and often used in business or official settings.
Derived from the classical Japanese verb 止む (やむ, 'to stop') in its negative potential form, literally meaning 'cannot stop', which evolved into the set phrase 'cannot be helped'. The polite ending ません is added for formality.