Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 1: 17/23

っこない

There is no chance of, There is no way of, Impossible

Structure

Verb［ます］+ っこない

Details

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About っこない

っこない is a combination of the suffix っこ, and the い-Adjective ない. When attached to the conjunctive form of verbs, it creates new い-Adjectives that express the impossibility of (A). (A) being whichever verb is used.
Common translations of っこない include 'there is no chance of (A)', or 'doing (A) is impossible'.
  • 今年(ことし)中(じゅう)に30万円(まんえん)貯(た)めたいの？お前(まえ)の給料(きゅうりょう)じゃできっこないよ。
    You want to save up three hundred thousand yen this year? There's no chance you can with your salary.
  • どんなに鍛(きた)えてもあの人(ひと)だけには勝(か)てっこないよ。
    No matter how much I train, there's no chance that I can beat him.
  • あんなデカい家(いえ)、どんなに貯金(ちょきん)しても買(か)えっこないよ。
    I will not be able to buy a house that big, no matter how much I save.
Caution - Although extremely rare, as っこ stems from the kanji 子(こ), this grammar point may occasionally be seen in its kanji form.
  • 明日(あした)までに５ページのレポートとか、絶対(ぜったい)書(か)けっ子(こ)ないよ。
    There is no way that I can write a 5 page essay by tomorrow.
  • こんな漢字(かんじ)だらけの新聞(しんぶん)なんて読(よ)めっ子(こ)ない。
    There is no way I can read this newspaper that is filled with kanji.

Examples

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    練習(れんしゅう)をたくさんしなくては、楽器(がっき)の演奏(えんそう)なんかできっこない。

    If you do not practice a lot, there is no way you will be able to do a musical performance.

    日本語(にほんご)で書(か)かないと日本語(にほんご)の書(か)き方(かた)が分(わ)かりっこない。

    If you do not write in Japanese, there is no way you will understand how to write in it.

    怒(おこ)ったお母(かあ)さん：「ひきこもりのように、一日(いちにち)中(じゅう)家(いえ)でゲームしてばかりでは、何(なに)も成(な)し遂(と)げっこない。」

    Angry mother: 'There is no way you are going to accomplish anything if you are just sitting at home, playing games like a hikikomori.'

    A：「試験(しけん)は明日(あした)だよ！」
    B：「明日(あした)？明日(あした)までに資料(しりょう)全部(ぜんぶ)なんて読(よ)めっこない。」

    A: 'The exam is tomorrow!'
    B: 'Tomorrow? There is no chance of me reading all of the material by tomorrow.'

    どんなに勉強(べんきょう)したって「は」と「が」の違(ちが)いなんて分(わ)かりっこない。

    No matter how much I study, there is no way for me to understand the difference between 'は' and 'が'.

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      っこない – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

      • Slysoft

        Slysoft

      • grasper

        grasper

        @Slysoft Did you understand the grammar point better by now? Even though most of the time, the potential verbs stem is used for the grammar point also in examples on other websites, sometimes the dictionary verb stem is used, and I cannot figure out why.

      • okayfrog

        okayfrog

        I’m having a hard time figuring out how the verb is supposed to be conjugated for this grammar point.

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