How to use ~得ない (e nai): A Streetwise JLPT N2 Grammar Guide

bulletproof car

この防弾ぼうだんガラスが破やぶられることは、まず起おこり得えない。 This bulletproof glass shattering is simply not gonna happen.

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

The Lowdown on ~得ない

Listen up. In the streets, you gotta know what’s possible and what’s straight-up fiction. ~得ない is used when you want to say something is absolutely impossible. It ain’t about whether you want to do it or not; it’s about the logical possibility of that event happening. It’s like saying there’s a 0.0% chance.

If a snitch tells you he didn’t talk to the feds but you saw him entering the precinct, you’d use ~得ない to say his story is impossible. It’s firm, it’s cold, and it leaves no room for debate.


The Metaphor

Think of ~得ない like a bulletproof vest. If you’re wearing a high-grade vest and someone tries to take you out with a BB gun, the chances of that pellet piercing your chest are 得ない. It’s a physical and logical impossibility based on the rules of the game. If the math don’t add up, it’s 得ない.


Grammar Conjugation Guide.

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

Here is how you strap this grammar onto your verbs so you can start calling out the BS.

Part of SpeechRuleExampleEnglish Translation
Verb (Masu-stem)Remove ~ます + 得ないあります
> あり得えない
impossible
Verb (Masu-stem)Remove ~ます + 得ない信しんじます
> 信しんじ得えない
unbelievable

To keep it 100, you just take the Masu-stem (the part before masu) and slap 得ない on the end. Be careful, though—when it’s positive (it could happen), you can say uru or eru, but when it’s negative (impossible), it is strictly read as “enai.” Don’t be out here sounding like a rookie saying “u-nai” or some nonsense.


Example sentences

Read and master the example sentences below.

こんなヘマをするなんて、俺おれの組織そしきでは考かんがえ得えない。
Making a blunder like this is unthinkable in my organization.

奴やつが一ひと人りででこのシマを仕切しきるなんて、到底とうてい成なし遂とげ得えない。
There’s no way that punk can run this turf by himself.

そんな安物やすものの偽札にせさつが通用つうようするはずなど、考かんがえ得えない。
It’s unthinkable that such cheap counterfeit bills would actually work.

あいつが俺おれをハメるなんて、万まんに一ひとつも起おこり得えない。
Him setting me up is something that wouldn’t happen in a million years.

刑務所けいむしょから脱走だっそうするなんて、今いまの警備けいびではあり得えない。
Escaping from prison is impossible with the current security.

あの臆病者おくびょうものが銃じゅうを撃うつなんて、想像そうぞうし得えない。
I can’t even imagine that coward firing a gun.

司法しほう取引とりひきに応おうじるなんて、俺おれのプライドが許ゆるし得えない。
Accepting a plea bargain is something my pride simply cannot permit.

奴やつがFBIの潜入せんにゅう捜査そうさ官かんだなんて、信しんじ得えない事実じじつだ。
The fact that he’s an undercover FBI agent is unbelievable.

こんな大金たいきんが一いち日にちで消きえるなんて、あり得えないだろう。
There’s no way this much cash disappears in a single day, right?

武器ぶきも持もたずに敵陣てきじんに突つっ込こむなんて、勝かち得えない戦たたかいだ。
Rushing into enemy territory without a weapon is a fight you cannot win.


Stay dangerous.

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