881 - ～っこない
JLPT N2: ～っこない (there's no way)
This will be a nice, short lesson. Yay.
～っこない can be added to the ます-stem of verbs when you want to say "there's no way that VERB."
Vます ＋ っこない
there's no way that VERB
It is only used in casual language. Here is an example:
君がどんなに頑張ったって、彼には勝てっこないよ。
きみ が どんな に がんばったって、 かれ に は かてっこない よ。
It doesn’t matter how hard you try, you’ll never be able to beat him.
Literally: “you + が + how much (=what kind of + に) + even if you tried hard, + he + に + は + there’s no way (you) can win + よ.”
It is very common to use ～っこない when talking about the impossibility or great unlikeliness of something. It is used in statements that express the speaker's opinion.
Another example:
こんな難しい計算、まだ７歳のアキラにはできっこない。
こんな むずかしい けいさん、 まだ ななさい の アキラ に は できっこない。
There’s no way that Akira, who’s still only seven, could possibly do a calculation this difficult.
Literally: “this kind of + difficult + calculation, + still + 7 years old + の + Akira + に + は + there’s no way (he) can do.”
～っこない is quite similar to the phrases わけがない and はずがない, which are JLPT N3 grammar topics. The main difference, again, is that you would not typically encounter ～っこない anywhere but in casual language.
Yet another example:
お金の無駄だよ。宝くじなんて、当たりっこないんだから。
おかね の むだ だ よ。 たからくじ なんて、 あたりっこない んだ から。
The lottery’s a waste of money. You’ll never win.
Literally: “money + の + waste + だ + よ. + lottery + なんて, + there’s no way (you’ll) win + んだ + because.”
What do you think? Making sense?
This is one of those grammar points that I hear people using from time to time... and am always reminded that I'm not using it in my own Japanese.
Time for that to change, I'd say...
A:
嘘がばれたらどうするつもり？
うそ が ばれたら どう する つもり？
What are you planning to do if they find out you’re lying?
Literally: “lie + が + if it were exposed + how + do + intention?”
B:
ばれっこないから大丈夫。
ばれっこない から だいじょうぶ。
No one’s ever gonna find out, so don’t worry about it.
Literally: “there’s no way (the lie) will be exposed + because + OK.”
Finished! See? I told you the lesson would be short. :)
Complete and Continue
This will be a nice, short lesson. Yay.
～っこない can be added to the ます-stem of verbs when you want to say "there's no way that VERB."
V
there's no way that VERB
It is only used in casual language. Here is an example:
君がどんなに頑張ったって、彼には勝てっこないよ。
きみ が どんな に がんばったって、 かれ に は かてっこない よ。
It doesn’t matter how hard you try, you’ll never be able to beat him.
Literally: “you + が + how much (=what kind of + に) + even if you tried hard, + he + に + は + there’s no way (you) can win + よ.”
It is very common to use ～っこない when talking about the impossibility or great unlikeliness of something. It is used in statements that express the speaker's opinion.
Another example:
こんな難しい計算、まだ７歳のアキラにはできっこない。
こんな むずかしい けいさん、 まだ ななさい の アキラ に は できっこない。
There’s no way that Akira, who’s still only seven, could possibly do a calculation this difficult.
Literally: “this kind of + difficult + calculation, + still + 7 years old + の + Akira + に + は + there’s no way (he) can do.”
～っこない is quite similar to the phrases わけがない and はずがない, which are JLPT N3 grammar topics. The main difference, again, is that you would not typically encounter ～っこない anywhere but in casual language.
Yet another example:
お金の無駄だよ。宝くじなんて、当たりっこないんだから。
おかね の むだ だ よ。 たからくじ なんて、 あたりっこない んだ から。
The lottery’s a waste of money. You’ll never win.
Literally: “money + の + waste + だ + よ. + lottery + なんて, + there’s no way (you’ll) win + んだ + because.”
What do you think? Making sense?
This is one of those grammar points that I hear people using from time to time... and am always reminded that I'm not using it in my own Japanese.
Time for that to change, I'd say...
A:
嘘がばれたらどうするつもり？
うそ が ばれたら どう する つもり？
What are you planning to do if they find out you’re lying?
Literally: “lie + が + if it were exposed + how + do + intention?”
B:
ばれっこないから大丈夫。
ばれっこない から だいじょうぶ。
No one’s ever gonna find out, so don’t worry about it.
Literally: “there’s no way (the lie) will be exposed + because + OK.”
Finished! See? I told you the lesson would be short. :)
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