Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 6: 15/24

決(けっ)して〜ないNever, By no means

Structure

決(けっ)して + Verb［ない］
決(けっ)して + ［い］Adjective［ない］
決(けっ)して + ［な］Adjective + ではない(1)
決(けっ)して + Noun + ではない(1)

(1) じゃない

Details

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    Standard

About 決して〜ない

決(けっ)して by itself is the て form of the verb 決(けっ)する 'to determine'. However 決(けっ)して is special in that it is considered to be a stand-alone adverb. As an adverb, it carries the meaning of 'decidedly', or 'assuredly', and is used in sentences that contain ない, in order to convey 'never (A)', 'under no circumstances (A)' or 'by no means (A)'.

Like many other adverbs in Japanese, 決(けっ)して can appear at the beginning of a sentence, or directly before the word it is modifying (which will be in its ない form).

While the translation is 'never', the literal meaning of 決(けっ)して is 'decidedly not (A)', or 'assuredly not (A)', simply emphasizing the negative point within a sentence.

Caution

決(けっ)して may also sometimes be paired with other structures that are not specifically negative, the primary example of this being ものか (a grammar point that we will learn about later). ものか strongly confirms a statement as being something that does not exist/will not be done.

  • この宝石(ほうせき)を決して渡(わた)すものか！
    There is no way I will hand over this treasure.
  • お前(まえ)に決してお金(かね)を貸(か)すものか！
    There is no way I will lend you money.

Examples

--:--

    嘘(うそ)をついたら決(けっ)してゆるさない。

    I will never forgive you if you lie to me.

    何(なに)があっても、決(けっ)して諦(あきら)めない。

    I will never give up, no matter what happens.

    彼(かれ)は決(けっ)して妥協(だきょう)しない人(ひと)だ。

    He is a person that never compromises.

    あの人(ひと)は決(けっ)して嘘(うそ)をつかない。

    That person never tells lies.

    あなたのことは決(けっ)して忘(わす)れません。

    I will never forget you.

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決して〜ない – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (8 in total)

  • Pushindawood

    Pushindawood

    @codewiz I have updated the alternative answers to include 絶対. Cheers!

    Working on it!

  • Yryrdz

    Yryrdz

    Can this grammar point work with negative desire form? I.E; 決して諦めたくない。I don’t see why not but I’m just confirming here.

  • Daru

    Daru

    Straight from the writeup:

    As an adverb, it carries the meaning of ‘decidedly’, or ‘assuredly’, and is used in sentences that contain ない, in order to convey ‘never (A)’, ‘under no circumstances (A)’ or ‘by no means (A)’.

    So yeah! It can be used with ～たくない. The key here is for the verb to be in its ない form.

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