あの組くみと戦争せんそうして勝かてないことはないが、こっちの被害ひがいも甚大じんだいになるぞ。
It’s not that we can’t win a war with that gang, but our own losses will be enormous.

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Read the explanation below to understand the nuance of how this grammar structure is used.

ないことはない is a double negative, straight up. In English, you say “I can’t not do it,” which really means “I can do it.” But it ain’t that simple. When you use ないことはない, you’re sayin’ somethin’ is possible, but you’re not exactly hyped about it. There’s a catch, a “but,” a reason you’re hesitating.

It’s a weak “yes.” You’re admitting something is true or possible, but you’re doin’ it reluctantly. You use it when you wanna be like, “Yeah, I guess so…” or “It’s not like it’s impossible…” You’re agreeing, but you want the other person to know it ain’t your first choice, or that there are some conditions.

Now, check this pro-tip, ’cause this is where the real players separate from the wannabes. ないことはない often appears with verbs in the potential form—you know, the “can do” version, like できる (dekiru) or 行ける (ikeru). When you hook it up like this, it usually implies a lack of effort, or that you’re feelin’ real half-hearted about doin’ it. It’s the perfect way to say, “it’s not like I can’t do it…” You’re sayin’ you got the skills, but your heart ain’t in it. There’s some reason you’re draggin’ your feet—maybe the job is whack, the pay is low, or you just straight up don’t wanna. For example, if someone asks you to cook for the whole crew, you might say, 「料理りょうり、できないことはないけど、面倒めんどうくさいんだよな。」(“It’s not like I can’t cook, but it’s a real pain in the ass.”). You can do it, but you’re making it clear you’d rather not.

Or think of it like this: your crew is about to pull a heist and they point to this busted-up old car for the getaway. You look it over… it’s got three tires, the engine is smokin’, and it smells like wet dog. The boss asks, “Can you drive this thing?” You don’t wanna say a hard “no” and look weak. But you ain’t sayin’ “yes” and takin’ the fall when it breaks down. So, you say, 「運転うんてんできないことはないですけど、保証ほしょうはできませんよ。」 (“It’s not that I can’t drive it, but I can’t make any guarantees, ya know?”).

You’re sayin’ the action of “driving” is technically possible, but you’re throwin’ up a big red flag that it’s a bad idea. That’s ないことはない—it’s the “yes, but…” for players who know how to cover their backs.

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Read the table below then use it to conjugate some words you know.

A’ight, peep the schematics on how to put this thing together.

Form	Conjugation	Example	Translation
Verb	食たべる → 食たべない	食たべないことはない	It’s not that I won’t eat it…
い-Adjective	難むずかしい → 難むずかしくない	難むずかしくないことはない	It’s not that it isn’t difficult…
な-Adjective	危険きけん  → 危険きけんじゃない	危険きけんじゃないことはない	It’s not that it isn’t dangerous…
Noun	無理むり  → 無理むりじゃない	無理むりじゃないことはない	It’s not that it isn’t impossible…

So here’s the lowdown. This grammar is all about that negative flow. For verbs, you flip ’em into the ない-form, then slap ことはない on the end. For your い-adjectives, you drop the final い and add くないことはない. Easy money. For な-adjectives and nouns, you hit ’em with じゃないことはない or the more formal ではないことはない. The key is you always start with a negative form before you add the ことはない. You’re basically sayin’ the negative situation… is not the case. Two wrongs might not make a right, but two negatives make a weak-ass positive right here.

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Listen to and repeat the sentences below.

あいつの情報じょうほうを信しんじないことはないが、裏付うらづけを取とるまでは動うごけない。
It’s not that I don’t believe his information, but I can’t make a move until we get confirmation.

この金庫きんこ、開あけられないことはないが、少すこし時間じかんがかかるぜ。
It’s not that I can’t open this safe, but it’s gonna take a little time.

新入しんいりの彼かれが役やくに立たたないことはないが、まだ半人前はんにんまえだ。
It’s not that the new guy isn’t useful, but he’s still a rookie.

この計画けいかく、実行じっこうできないことはないが、何なん人にんか犠牲ぎせいが出でることを覚悟かくごしろ。
It’s not that we can’t execute this plan, but be prepared for a few sacrifices.

ボスに嘘うそをつけないことはないが、バレたら東京とうきょう湾わんの底そこだからな。
It’s not that I can’t lie to the boss, but if I get caught, it’s the bottom of Tokyo Bay for me.

証人しょうにんを説得せっとくできないことはないが、少々しょうしょう手荒てあらな真似まねが必要ひつようになる。
It’s not that we can’t persuade the witness, but it will require some… rough methods.

このブツを売うれないことはないが、値段ねだんを半分はんぶんにしないと誰だれも買かわんだろう。
It’s not that I can’t sell this stuff, but nobody will buy it unless I cut the price in half.

このリボルバー、撃うてないことはないが、肝心かんじんな時ときに不発ふはつかもしれないぜ。
It’s not that this revolver doesn’t shoot, but it might misfire when it really counts.

この隠かくれ家が、快適かいてきじゃないことはないが、いつ嗅かぎつけられるか分わからんぞ。
It’s not that this hideout isn’t comfortable, but there’s no telling when they’ll sniff us out.

警察けいさつの包囲ほうい網もうを突破とっぱできないことはないが、かなりの銃撃じゅうげき戦せんを覚悟かくごする必要ひつようがある。
It’s not that we can’t break through the police cordon, but we’ll need to be prepared for a major firefight.

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Stay strapped with that grammar. Peace out.