JLPT N3 Grammar – Difference between “わけがない” “わけではない” and “わけにはいかない”

Table of Contents

1. The differences in grammar with “わけ“
2. わけがない
3. わけではない
4. わけにはいかない
5. Let’s Compare
6. Summary
7. Quiz
8. Similar Articles
9. Comment

Q: Can you explain the differences between “わけがない,””わけではない,” and “わけにはいかない”?

A: These three expressions all use the word “わけ,” but each one has a different meaning depending on the following negative form.

わけがない (JLPT N3)

[Meaning]
Of course not

[Rules]　
[V] Verb dictionary form ＋わけがない
[A] い adjective＋わけがない
[Na] な adjective＋わけがない　
　　 な adjective＋である＋わけがない　
[N] Noun＋の＋わけがない　
　 Noun＋な＋わけがない　

[Examples]
こんな難むずかしい問題もんだい、わかるわけがない。
There’s no way I can understand such a difficult problem.

卵たまごも割われない花子はなこが作つくる料理りょうりがおいしいわけがないよ。
There’s no way the food Hanako, who can’t even crack an egg, makes is delicious.

毎日まいにち、残業ざんぎょうばかりして暇ひまなわけがない。
There’s no way I have free time when I’m working overtime every day.

A「見みて。あの人ひと、社長しゃちょうに似にてるね。」
B「社長しゃちょうは海外かいがいに出張しゅっちょう中ちゅうだよ。社長しゃちょうのわけがないよ。」
A: ‘Look, that person looks like the president.’
B: ‘The president is on a business trip overseas. There’s no way that’s the president.’

わけではない (JLPT N3)

[Meaning]
It cannot be said to be completely ~
It’s not 100% so

[Rules]　
[V] Verb plain form＋わけではない
[A] い adjective＋わけではない
[Na] な adjective＋わけではない　
　　 な adjective＋である＋わけではない
[N] Noun＋の＋わけではない　
　 Noun＋な＋わけではない　
　 Noun＋である＋わけではない

[Examples]
いくら簡単かんたんと言いってもすぐにできるわけではないですよ。
Even if it’s said to be easy, it doesn’t mean it can be done right away.

この問題もんだいは難むずかしいわけではないが、考かんがえる時間じかんがほしい。
This problem isn’t exactly difficult, but I would like some time to think about it.

ここは便利べんりなわけではないけど、静しずかで気きに入いっています。
This place isn’t particularly convenient, but I like it because it’s quiet.

病気びょうきなわけはないけど、今日きょうは会社かいしゃを休やすもう。
I’m not sick, but I think I’ll take the day off from work today.

わけにはいかない (JLPT N3)

[Meaning]
Impossible to do ~
Based on common sense or psychologically

[Rule]　
[V] Verb dictionary form＋わけにはいかない

[Examples]
あのおばあさん、困こまっているのかな。急いそいで駅えきに行いきたいけど、助たすけないわけにはいかないな。
I wonder if that old lady is in trouble. I’m in a hurry to get to the station, but I can’t just ignore her.

せっかくもらったプレゼントをいらないからといって捨すてるわけにはいかないよ。
I can’t throw away a gift I received just because I don’t need it.

病気びょうきの母ははを国くにに残のこして留学りゅうがくするわけにはいかなかったので諦あきらめました。
I couldn’t study abroad, leaving my sick mother behind in my home country, so I gave up.

明日あしたはテストがあるから、ゲームをするわけにはいきません。
I have a test tomorrow, so I can’t play games.

Let’s Compare

“わけがない” is used when you want to say that something is “absolutely impossible” or “there is no such possibility,” based on certain facts. It strongly expresses the speaker’s subjective judgment.

“わけではない” expresses a partial negation, meaning “it cannot be said to be 100% true” or “it is not completely so.”

“わけにはいかない” indicates that, due to certain circumstances or situations, it is impossible to do something based on common sense or psychologically, or that it is not permitted.”

Let’s consider the differences while also thinking about the feelings of the speaker in the following examples.

[Examples]　
［いつも8時じに起おきているのに］明日あすの朝あさ4時じに起おきられるわけがない。
[I usually wake up at 8 o’clock] There’s no way I can wake up at 4 a.m. tomorrow.
⇒ This expresses that, since the speaker usually wakes up at 8 o’clock, waking up at 4 a.m. is too early, and thus there’s no possibility of waking up at that time.
　　　
［がんばれば］明日あしたの朝あさ4時じに起おきられないわけではない。
[If I try hard] It’s not that I can’t wake up at 4 a.m. tomorrow.
⇒ This expresses that it cannot be said with certainty that the speaker won’t be able to wake up at 4 a.m., meaning there might be a possibility of waking up at that time.
　　
［毎朝まいあさ4時じに起おきているけど明日あしたは久ひさしぶりの休やすみだし］明日あしたの朝あさは4時じに起おきるわけにはいかない。
[I usually wake up at 4 a.m. every morning, but tomorrow is my first day off in a long time] I can’t wake up at 4 a.m. tomorrow morning.
⇒ This expresses the speaker’s psychological feeling that they don’t want to wake up at 4 a.m. because tomorrow is their first day off in a while.”

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[わけがない VS わけではない]

Let’s further consider the differences with the following examples.

[Examples]　
子供こどもでもできた問題もんだいが大人おとなにとって難むずかしいわけがないよ。
It’s not that it’s difficult, but I’d like to think about it a bit more.
⇒ Since even a child could do it, it absolutely cannot be difficult for an adult.

難むずかしいわけではないが、もう少すこし考かんがえたい。
It’s not that it’s difficult, but I’d like to think about it a bit more.
⇒ It’s not completely difficult (it may seem somewhat easy), but the speaker has the nuance that by thinking a bit more, they could come up with a better answer.”

[わけがない VS わけにはいかない]

[Examples]　
世界せかい1位いの選手せんしゅがこの試合しあいで負まけるわけがないよ。
There’s no way the world’s number one player will lose this match.
⇒ This means that there is absolutely no possibility of this player losing.

家族かぞくや友達ともだちも応援おうえんしてくれているんだ。この試合しあいで負まけるわけにはいかない。
My family and friends are cheering for me. I can’t afford to lose this match.
⇒ Due to the support from family and friends, this expresses the speaker’s psychological feeling that they cannot afford to lose.

Which of the three expressions to use depends on the speaker’s feelings and the context, so it’s important to understand the whole context, not just a part of it.

Summary

[わけがない]

• A strong subjective judgment that something is “absolutely impossible” or “there’s no such possibility.”

[わけではない]

• A partial negation, meaning “it cannot be said to be 100% true’ or ‘it is not completely so.”

[わけにはいかない]

• Due to certain circumstances or situations, it is “impossible to do so based on common sense or psychologically.” Alternatively, it may refer to something that is “not permitted.”

Quiz

Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.

Click on the question to check the answer.

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