Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 1: 2/23

得(え)ないUnable to, Cannot

Structure

Verb［ます］+ えない

Details

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    Formal

About 〜得ない

得(え)る is a る-Verb that has the meaning of 'to gain' or 'to acquire'. When attached to the conjunctive form of verbs, it takes on the nuance of 'for (A) to be possible', or 'able to (A)'. In addition to this, when 得(え)る is combined with ない, that nuance switches to 'unable to (A)', or 'cannot (A)'.

Compared to できない, meaning that the potential to do something does not exist, 得(え)ない means something closer to 'there is no possibility that (A) can be done', or 'the possibility to do (A) has not been gained'.

Caution

得(え)る may be seen as either える or うる. The primary difference between the two being that うる is a relatively old form that is often seen only in literature, and almost never spoken. Despite this, うる is never used in the negative form with ない.

  • そんな大(おお)きな災害(さいがい)は起(お)こりえないと思(おも)います。
    I think that it's impossible for a disaster that big to happen. (Natural Japanese)
  • そんな大(おお)きな災害(さいがい)は起(お)こりうないと思(おも)います。
    I think that it's impossible for a disaster that big to happen. (Unnatural Japanese)

Fun-fact

得(え)る is far more formal/bookish than できる. However, there are several set phrases that are very common in daily speech that use this particular grammar point, such as あり得(え)る 'possible', and あり得(え)ない 'impossible'.

  • まあ、それもあり得(え)るかもしれないけど...
    Well, that is possible, but…
  • 田中(たなか)さんはすごく頭(あたま)がいいから、不合格(ふごうかく)になるなんて絶対(ぜったい)あり得(え)ない。
    Tanaka-san is very smart, so it is absolutely impossible for him to fail.

Examples

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    そこまで大(おお)きな地震(じしん)は起(お)こり得(え)ない。

    An earthquake of that magnitude cannot occur.

    本来(ほんらい)、水(みず)と油(あぶら)は混(ま)ざり得(え)ない。

    Naturally, you cannot mix water and oil.

    そんなことはほとんど起(お)こり得(え)ないと思(おも)います。

    I think that there is a good chance that such a thing cannot happen.

    私(わたし)がその夢(ゆめ)を叶(かな)えることはあり得(え)ない。

    It is not possible for me to achieve that dream.

    君(きみ)の話術(わじゅつ)を持(も)ってしても、説得(せっとく)し得(え)ないだろう。

    Even if I had your skill in conversation, I probably couldn't persuade them.

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