Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 8: 6/22

ものか

Definitely not, Absolutely not, Impossible, Do you really think~?

Structure

Verb［る］+ もの(1) + か
［い］Adjective + もの(1) + か
［な］Adjective + な + もの(1) + か
Noun + な + もの(1) + か

(1) もん

Details

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Rare Kanji

物

About ものか

ものか is a set expression in Japanese that is used to strongly suggest that the previous statement absolutely will not happen, or is definitely not true. It is a combination of the noun もの 'thing', and the adverbial particle use of か for conveying 'doubt' or 'uncertainty'. Common translations include 'definitely not (A)', 'absolutely not (A)', and 'do you really think that (A)'. Literally, the meaning is quite close to 'as if' in English, as ものか just poses a strong question to which the speaker already completely disagrees with.
ものか may appear after any word that could attach to もの, such as a verbs and い-Adjectives, or な-Adjectives and nouns followed by な.
  • バカ言(い)うな。俺(おれ)がそんな派手(はで)な服(ふく)を着(き)るものか！
    Don't be stupid! Do you really think that I would wear something so flashy?!
  • 仕事(しごと)？毎日(まいにち)怒(おこ)られてばかりだから楽(たの)しいもんか。
    Work? I get yelled at everyday, so I am definitely not having a good time.
  • 私(わたし)は毎日(まいにち)残業(ざんぎょう)しているし、家(いえ)に帰(かえ)ったら家事(かじ)を全部(ぜんぶ)やっている。元気(げんき)なものか。
    I work overtime every day and when I get home I do all the chores. Do you really think I have any energy left?
  • お前(まえ)みたいな奴(やつ)は友達(ともだち)なものか！
    A person like you is absolutely not my friend!
Other forms which may be seen are もんか, もんですか, and ものですか, with women being more traditionally likely to use the もんですか and ものですか variants.
Additionally, when following the た form of verbs, ものか will imply that the speaker cannot bear for (A) to eventuate, due to evaluating it as something highly negative.
  • 一人(ひとり)でこの量(りょう)の仕事(しごと)を明日(あした)までにできたもんか。
    As if it's possible to do this amount of work by tomorrow myself.
  • こんなまずい飯(めし)、食(た)べられたもんか。
    As if I could have eaten something so awful.
Caution - There are several other situations in where ものか will be used, but in each of them it may be easiest to think of the primary translation as being 'as if (A)', as it merely implies the speakers shock or disbelief in relation to whatever conditions are presented in the previous statement. These 'conditions' may involve an amount, possibility, or result of (A).

Examples

--:--

    永井(ながい)：「長谷川(はせがわ)さんって伊藤(いとう)と付(つ)き合(あ)っているらしい。」
    長谷川(はせがわ)：「違(ちが)うよ！伊藤(いとう)さんと付(つ)き合(あ)うものか！」

    Nagai: 'Hasegawa-san, I heard that you are going out with Itou-san.'
    Hasegawa: 'No! I am absolutely not going out with him!'

    失恋(しつれん)なんて、経験(けいけん)のない君(きみ)にわかるもんか！

    You, who has never experienced something like a broken heart,
    absolutely won't understand it!

    井上(いのうえ)：「あなたの男友達(おとこともだち)が家(いえ)の前(まえ)で待(ま)っている。」
    本田(ほんだ)：「彼(かれ)が何(なに)をしようが、かまうものか！」

    Inoue: 'Your male friend is waiting in front of your house.'
    Honda: 'I absolutely do not care what he is doing!'

    彼(かれ)が皮肉(ひにく)なんて言(い)うものか。そういう奴(やつ)じゃない。

    He absolutely will not use sarcasm. He is not that kind of a person.

    今(いま)から行(い)ったって日(ひ)の出(で)になんか間(ま)に合(あ)うものか。

    Even if we leave now we absolutely will not make it in time for sunrise.

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