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impossible that/no way
Definition
The grammar pattern "V(plain) / い-adj / な-adj な / N という/の + わけがない" is used to express a very strong subjective denial or disbelief. It is more informal and emotional than 'hazu ga nai'. This pattern is often used to convey that something is impossible or unbelievable, and it is typically used in casual conversations or in writing. The pattern can be translated to English as 'no way' or 'impossible that'.
Structure
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plain form of a verb | V(plain) / い-adj / な-adj な / N という/の + わけがない | tabetai (to eat) / こんなに難しい問題 / の + わけがない |
| Plain form of a verb | V(plain) / い-adj / な-adj な / N という/の + わけがない | tabetai (to eat) / あんなにまずい店が / の + わけがない |
| Plain form of a verb | V(plain) / い-adj / な-adj な / N という/の + わけがない | tabetai (to eat) / 昨日会ったばかりなのに / の + わけがない |
Examples
こんなに難しい問題、彼にわけがない
konna ni muzukashii mondai, kare ni wake ga nai
No way that he can solve such a difficult problem
konna ni muzukashii mondai (such a difficult problem), kare ni (to him), wake ga nai (no way)
あんなにまずい店が、わけがないだろう
anna ni makunouchi ga, wake ga nai darou
No way that such a bad restaurant exists
anna ni makunouchi ga (such a bad restaurant), wake ga nai (no way), darou (it's likely)
昨日会ったばかりなのに、もうわけがない
kinou atta bakari na no ni, mō wake ga nai
No way that it's been just yesterday that we met
kinou atta bakari na no ni (just yesterday that we met), mō (already), wake ga nai (no way)
Context
This pattern is used in casual conversations or in writing to express a strong subjective denial or disbelief. It is more informal than 'hazu ga nai' and is often used to convey that something is impossible or unbelievable. It is not typically used in formal writing or in situations where a more objective tone is required.
Watch out
This pattern is used to express a subjective denial or disbelief, whereas 'arienai' or 'hazu ga nai' are used to express objective impossibility.
This pattern is used to express a strong subjective denial or disbelief, whereas 'wake de wa nai' is used to express partial negation.
When forming the pattern with nouns, it is essential to include 'no' or 'to iu' to indicate the relationship between the noun and the verb.
Strategy
When using this pattern in the JLPT exam, make sure to use it correctly to express a strong subjective denial or disbelief. Be careful not to confuse it with other patterns, such as 'wake de wa nai' or 'hazu ga nai'.
In context
Worked examples drawn from JLPT N3 test-style questions. Each sentence shows V(plain) / い-adj / な-adj な / N という/の + わけがない used correctly, with a brief note on what the pattern is doing.
こんなに難しい問題、彼にできるわけがない。
Pattern used: できる
Strong disbelief that he is capable of solving the problem.
あんなにまずい店が、人気なわけがないだろう。
Pattern used: 人気な
Expressing subjective disbelief about a restaurant's popularity using 'na'.
昨日会ったばかりなのに、もう忘れるわけがない。
Pattern used: 忘れる
Uses dictionary form to deny the possibility of the act of forgetting occurring so soon.
Interactive
こんなに難しい問題、彼に______わけがない。
Adaptive practice
Our adaptive engine will quiz you on this grammar pattern and track your progress toward mastery.