にゃんこさんはパソコンにくわしいです。
Grammar: わけがない (wake ga nai)
Have you ever heard something so unbelievable and you just think “No way!” or “It’s impossible!”?We all do it. In this lesson, we’ll learn how to express that strong disbelief in Japanese. We’ll focus on two phrases: 「わけがない」 and 「はずがない」.
Key point: Understanding 「わけがない」
「わけがない」 (wake ga nai) is a Japanese grammar expression used to express strong denial or disbelief. It’s often used when something goes against common sense, logic. When you want to say “That’s impossible!” or “There’s no way!”, you can use わけがない.
Meanings
- there’s no way
- it’s impossible
Sentence Construction
- Use the Plain Form of the verb before “わけがない” (wake ga nai).
- Plain Form + わけがない
言うわけがない
- Plain Form + わけがない
- the Plain Form is the form that doesn’t use ます or です.
And, it includes ない- form. and there’s a phrase “しないわけがない“
しないわけがない have two ”ない” and it becomes strong affirmative sentence.- 行かないわけがない (Ika nai wake ga nai)
There’s no way I’m not going!
I’m definitely going!
- 行かないわけがない (Ika nai wake ga nai)
- わけない
In daily life, people just say わけない, omitting が.
そんないい話があるわけない！(Sonna ni ii hanashi ga aru wake nai yo!)
There’s no way there’s such a good offer!
Example Sentences
今が夜なわけがない。
(Ima ga yoru na wake ga nai.)
There’s no way it’s night right now.
このドラマがあと1話で終わるわけがない。
(Kono dorama ga ato ichi-wa de owaru wake ga nai.)
There’s no way this drama will end in just one more episode.
はずがない(hazu ga nai)
Key points: Understanding 「はずがない」
“はずがない” is a very similar expression that also conveys strong disbelief or that something is definitely not true, or impossible. The word “はず” itself means “plan” or “logic”, so when you combine it, it literally means “there’s no logic or plan that is actually true.”
Both “わけがない” and “はずがない” are often interchangeable.
Meanings
- There’s no way
- It shouldn’t
Sentence Construction
- Use the Plain Form of the verb before “わけがない” (wake ga nai).
- 言うはずがない
- 言うはずがない
Example Sentences
このジュースは古いから、飲めるはずがないよ。
(Kono jūsu wa furui kara, nomeru hazu ga nai yo.)
That juice is old, so there’s no way you can drink it.
Vocabulary
- 壊れる (Kowareru): to break; to get broken; to be damaged
- 電源 (Dengen): power supply; power (e.g., electric power); electricity
- こぼす (Kobosu): to spill; to drop; to shed (tears)
- 一話 (Ichi-wa): one episode (of a TV show, anime, etc.); one story (of a series)
- 反対 (Hantai): opposition; resistance; antagonism; opposite; reverse
- USJ: Universal Studios Japan
- 間に合う (Maniau): to be in time for; to be on time; to be sufficient (for a purpose)
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