JLPT N2 Grammar
· Upper Intermediate
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· Upper Intermediate
Impossible that; no way
Category: Judgment & Opinion
The grammar pattern "V/A/N (ordinary form) + わけがない (Na-adj: なわけがない / N: であるわけがない)" is used to express a strong subjective denial or certainty that something is impossible. It is often used when there is a clear reason to believe something cannot be true. This pattern is a combination of a verb or adjective in its ordinary form and the phrase "わけがない", which literally means "it is not a matter of course" or "it is impossible". The nuance of this pattern is that it emphasizes the speaker's conviction or certainty that something is impossible, making it a strong expression of denial or rejection.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb in the ordinary form | V + わけがない | 見たわけがない (I didn't see it) |
| Na-adjective in the ordinary form | A + わけがない | 簡単なわけがない (It's not easy) |
| Noun in the ordinary form | N + であるわけがない | この問題が簡単であるわけがない (This problem is not easy) |
あんなに練習したんだから、今日の試合に勝つわけがない。
An'nani renshū shita ndakara, kyou no shiai ni katsu wake ga nai.
There's no way we can win today's game after practicing so much.
練習したんだから (because we practiced so much), 今日の試合 (today's game), 勝つ (to win), わけがない (it's impossible)
彼が犯人だなんて、そんなことわけがない。
Kare ga han'nin da nante, sonna koto wake ga nai.
There's no way he could be the culprit.
彼が犯人だなんて (he could be the culprit), そんなこと (such a thing), わけがない (it's impossible)
この難しい問題が、小学生に解くわけがない。
Kono mushi na mondai ga, shou gakusei ni toku wake ga nai.
There's no way a elementary school student can solve this difficult problem.
この難しい問題 (this difficult problem), 小学生 (elementary school student), 解く (to solve), わけがない (it's impossible)
彼が昨日まで私と一緒にいたんだから、今日はどこに行くわけがない。
Kare ga kinou made watashi to issho ni ita ndakara, kyou wa doko ni iku wake ga nai.
Since he was with me until yesterday, there's no way he can go anywhere today.
彼が昨日まで私と一緒にいたんだから (since he was with me until yesterday), 今日はどこに行く (where can he go today), わけがない (it's impossible)
This pattern is used to express a strong subjective denial or certainty that something is impossible. It is often used in situations where there is a clear reason to believe something cannot be true. The nuance of this pattern is that it emphasizes the speaker's conviction or certainty that something is impossible, making it a strong expression of denial or rejection. This pattern can be used with verbs, na-adjectives, and nouns in their ordinary forms.
The pattern is used with the ordinary form of the verb, not the potential form. Using the potential form can change the meaning of the sentence and make it less emphatic.
The pattern is used with the plain form of the verb, not the polite form. Using the polite form can make the sentence sound less emphatic.
The pattern ～わけがない is used to express a strong subjective denial or certainty that something is impossible, while ～わけではない is used to express a lack of connection or relevance between two things.
When using this pattern in the JLPT exam, make sure to use the correct form of the verb and the correct particle. Also, be careful not to confuse this pattern with other similar patterns, such as ～わけではない.
あんなに練習したんだから、今日の試合に______。
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