Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 5: 6/17

～に〜ない

Cannot even...if wants, Would like to...but cannot, Wants to...but cannot

Structure

Verb［る］(A) + に + Verb［できる］［ない］(A)

Details

  • Register

    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About 〜に〜ない

に～ない is a construction which appears with repeating verbs in Japanese to indicate that one 'cannot (A) even if they want to', or 'due to some circumstances, can't (A)'. the case marking particle に will appear after a verb in its dictionary form, before the potential form of the same verb will be negated with ない. In this way, the more literal meaning is 'for (A), (A) is not possible'.
  • 生徒(せいと)が言(い)った冗談(じょうだん)は面白(おもしろ)かったが内容(ないよう)が下品(げひん)だったので笑(わら)うに笑(わら)えなかった。
    The joke the student told was funny, but it was inappropriate so I could not laugh even if I wanted to.
  • 本当(ほんとう)は時間(じかん)はあんまりなかったが、先輩(せんぱい)に頼(たの)まれたから断(ことわ)るに断(ことわ)れなかった。
    I actually didn't really have too much time, but since my senpai asked me I couldn't refuse even if I wanted to.
  • 息子(むすこ)には明日(あした)までに滑(すべ)り台(だい)を作(つく)ってあげると約束(やくそく)してしまったので、どんな忙(いそが)しくても引(ひ)くに引(ひ)けない。
    I promised my son that I would build him a slide by tomorrow, so I can't back out no matter how busy I am.
It will be important to keep in mind that する does not have a potential form, so できない will be used in the latter half of this expression when paired with する verbs.
  • 最近(さいきん)は色々(いろいろ)と悩(なや)み事(ごと)が多(おお)くて、集中(しゅうちゅう)するにできない。
    A lot has been on my mind recently that I haven't been able to concentrate even if I wanted to.
Additionally, ない may sometimes be replaced with other structures that convey negation, such as ず.
  • 息子(むすこ)が一晩中(ひとばんじゅう)泣(な)いていて寝(ね)るに寝(ね)れず徹夜(てつや)をしてしまった。
    My son cried all night and because of that I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to and stayed up all night.
Caution
Occasionally, the dictionary form of a verb will be replaced with the auxiliary verb う or よう volitional forms, and will then be followed by にも. The potential form of the same verb coming before ない will remain the same.
  • 昨日(きのう)の練習(れんしゅう)で足(あし)の怪我(けが)をしてしまったので歩(ある)こうにも歩(ある)けない。
    I couldn't walk even if I wanted to because I injured my foot in yesterday's practice.
  • 今(いま)の仕事(しごと)を辞(や)めようと思(おも)っているが、次(つぎ)のところが見(み)つからないから今(いま)の仕事(しごと)を辞(や)めようにも辞(や)められない。
    I'm thinking of quitting my current job, but I can't find another one, so I couldn't quit my current job even if I wanted to.
Although the meanings are the same between both of these, the dictionary form tends to highlight psychological circumstances for why one 'cannot (A)', while the volitional form highlights more concrete or physical circumstances.

Examples

  • 中学生(ちゅうがくせい)の頃(ころ)、好(す)きな子(こ)に告白(こくはく)して断(ことわ)られた。周(まわ)りに人(ひと)がいたから泣(な)くに泣(な)けない状況(じょうきょう)だった。

    During my junior high school days, I confessed to a girl I liked and was rejected. There were some people nearby, so I was in a position where I could not cry even if I wanted to.

    By extension of the basic meaning, 泣くに泣けない has also come to mean 'extremely depressed' or 'extremely mortified'.

  • 嫌(きら)われている上司(じょうし)が見事(みごと)に転(ころ)んでしまった。従業員(じゅうぎょういん)が笑(わら)うに笑(わら)えない、という顔(かお)をしてた。

    The boss that everyone hates had a spectacular fall. The employees' faces looked as though they wanted to laugh but were unable to.

  • 「彼(かれ)はどうして学校(がっこう)に戻(もど)ろうとしないのかな？」
    「何(なに)があったか知(し)らないけど、言(い)うに言(い)えない事情(じじょう)があるのかな。」

    'Why is he not willing to go back to school?'
    'I'm not sure if something happened or not, but maybe he is in a situation where he cannot talk about it (even though he may want to).'

    By extension of the basic meaning, 言うに言えない has come to mean 'unspeakable'.

  • 「彼女(かのじょ)が断(ことわ)れば殺(ころ)すと言(い)って突然(とつぜん)断(ことわ)るに断(ことわ)れない状態(じょうたい)になった。」

    'She said, 'If you refuse, I will kill you,' so the situation suddenly turned into one where I couldn't refuse even if I wanted.'

  • 今日(きょう)、会議(かいぎ)があるけど、雪(ゆき)が積(つ)もって道(みち)が通行止(つうこうど)めになったから行(い)くに行(い)けない。

    I have a meeting today, but snow has piled up and the road is closed, so I can't go, even if I want to.

  • Get more example sentences!

    Premium users get access to 12 example sentences on all Grammar Points.

Self-Study Sentences

Study your own way!

Add sentences and study them alongside Bunpro sentences.

  • Online

  • Offline

    • Try N1

      Page 92

    • Shin Kanzen Master N1 Bunpou

      Page 58

    • Sou Matome Bunpou N1

      Page 81

    • A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar

      Page 408

  • Track Resources!

    Bunpro tracks all of the resources you’ve visited, and offers relevant bookmarks of physical books to help with offline tracking.

〜に〜ない – Grammar Discussion

    There's currently no discussion for 〜に〜ない
    Ask questions and learn together with other Bunpro users!

Join the Discussion