Structure
Verb[ない]+ ことはない(1)
[い]Adjective[ない]+ ことはない(1)
[な]Adjective + ではない(2) + ことはない(1)
(1) こともない
(2) じゃない
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About ないことはない
ないことはない is an expression that utilizes either the auxiliary verb ない, or the い-Adjective ない, depending on what type of word it is used with. This structure may literally be translated as something similar to 'not (A) is not all there is'. However, the common translations are '(A) is not impossible', or 'it doesn't mean that it isn't (A)'.
This expression may be used with the ない form of any verb, い-Adjective, or な-Adjective. Let's have a look at a few examples before exploring the meaning further.
This expression may be used with the ない form of any verb, い-Adjective, or な-Adjective. Let's have a look at a few examples before exploring the meaning further.
- 映画は見ないことはないが、詳しくもない。It's not that I don't watch movies, but I am just not knowledgeable about them at all.
- ここは危ないことはないけど、気をつけた方がいい。It's not that this place isn't safe, but you should be careful.
- 元気ではないことはないけど、すごく元気なわけでもない。It doesn't mean that I am not healthy, but it is not the case that I am very fit.
Fun Fact
ないことはない often appears with verbs in the potential form. This usually implies a lack of effort, or feelings of half heartedness toward the completion of (A). It is similar to 'it's not like I can't (A)' in English.- 納豆は食べられないことはないけど、自分から買って食べようとは思わない。It's not that I don't like natto, it's just that I don't think I will buy it myself to eat.
- 歩いていけないことはないけど、歩いたら6時間ぐらいかかるよ。It's not that you can't walk there, but if you did, it would take about six hours.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Examples
スクルージ:「オレはオジサンになったから新しいことを全然学べない。」
ヒューイ:「どんなに歳を取っても新しいことを学べないことはないよ。」Scrooge: 'I got old, so I can't learn new things at all.'
Huey: 'No matter how old you get, it is not impossible to learn new things!'A:「お金がないから君と一緒に旅行にいけないんだ。」
B:「お金がなくても旅行にいけないことはないよ。」A: 'I don't have money so I can't go on a trip with you.'
B: 'It is not impossible to take a trip without any money.'A:「浅いからここで泳ごう!」
B:「浅いけど、あぶなくないことはない。」A: 'It's shallow so let's swim here!'
B: 'It is shallow, but that doesn't mean that it isn't dangerous.'吉田:「 あなたは誕生日ケーキをカットしてみたい?」
山田:「 僕にもできないことはないけど、君がやった方がいいと思う。」Yoshida: 'Do you want to cut the birthday cake?'
Yamada: 'It's not that I can't do it, but I think it would be better if you did it.'清水:「昨年買ったドレスを着たら、どう?」
木村:「着れないことはないが、少しサイズが小さいな。」Shimizu: 'What about wearing the dress you bought last year?'
Kimura: 'It's not that I can't wear it, but it's a bit too small…'Get more example sentences!
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ないことはない – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (3 in total)
motiyuki
About 2 years ago
In a sentence like this:
吉田: 「あなたは誕生日ケーキをカットしてみたい?」
山田:「 僕にもできないことはないけど、君がやった方がいいと思う。」[できる]Could I replace it with できない訳じゃない?
I feel like I’m always confused about when I can only use one or the other.
wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV
About 2 years ago
I feel like I’m always confused about when I can only use one or the other.
You’re not alone. I frequently mixed these up (and several others) when I was first learning them.
For this example, I don’t think わけじゃない fits as well as ないことはない. It’s hard to be sure without knowing the context, but 山田さん sounds like they might be expressing deference with regards to cutting the birthday cake. I’m not sure whose birthday it is in this case, nor what the customs are in Japan, but this could be polite deference, or it could be 山田さん genuinely just doesn’t care about cutting the cake and is suggesting 吉田さん do it instead.
わけ literally means something like “a conclusion based on reason.” ~わけじゃない could be rendered as , “… (the preceding phrase) is not a (valid) conclusion/inference,” or, “it’s not the case that … (the preceding phrase) is a (valid) conclusion/inference.” I sometimes use these stiff, “wooden” translations in my head to help better unde...
Elliotjoyner3
About 3 months ago
In regards to the sentence ここは危ないことはないけど、気を付けたほうがいい
This probably has more to do with how I think about/ categorize い-adjectives like 危ない and 少ない, but to me this reads as “It`s not that this place is dangerous, but you should be careful.” rather than the rest of the double negative sentences given.
Would using い-ajectives as they are still carry the same nuance of this grammar point? e.g.: 映画は世界で一番面白いことはないけど、笑った。 (“It`s not that the movie is the funniest in the world, but I laughed.”)
Or are adjectives like 危ない special?
I hope the question makes sense!
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