Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
“It cannot be the case,” “It’s impossible that,” or “There is no way that.”
🎯 Primary Function
To assert the logical impossibility of a situation or event with strong subjective confidence.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (plain form: present, past, negative) + はずがない
I-adjective (plain form) + はずがない
Na-adjective (stem) + な + はずがない
Noun + の + はずがない
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used to present a strong, logically grounded negative conclusion, often replaced by はずがありません (hazu ga arimasen) for higher politeness.
Informal Situations
Very common. Often shortened to はずない (hazu nai) in casual speech.
Written Language
Used in essays, arguments, and formal reports where logical negation is required.
Spoken Language
Extremely common for expressing surprise, disagreement, or strong certainty based on facts.
💡 Common Applications
Denying a possibility based on known facts.
Used when the speaker has concrete information or logical reasoning that makes the suggested possibility logically impossible or highly improbable.
Example: 彼はベジタリアンだから、肉を食べるはずがない。(Kare wa bejitarian da kara, niku o taberu hazu ga nai.) – Since he is a vegetarian, there is no way he will eat meat.
Expressing strong conviction or certainty about a negative outcome.
Used to assert the impossibility of a desired situation, often implying criticism or rational pessimism.
Example: このやり方では成功するはずがない。(Kono yarikata de wa seikō suru hazu ga nai.) – There is no way we can succeed with this method.
Expressing surprise or disbelief about a suggestion.
Often used rhetorically in response to surprising information, emphasizing the speaker’s disbelief based on prior knowledge.
Example: あの優秀な学生が試験に落ちた？まさか、そんなはずがない！(Ano yūshū na gakusei ga shiken ni ochita? Masaka, sonna hazu ga nai!) – That excellent student failed the exam? No way, that can’t be!
Frequency
High (Very common in daily conversation and media)
Difficulty
Intermediate (JLPT N3 / N2)
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Example Sentences
Example #1
田中さんがそんなひどいことを言うはずがない。
Furigana: たなかさんがそんなひどいことをいうはずがない。
Romaji: Tanaka-san ga sonna hidoi koto o iu hazu ga nai.
English: Mr. Tanaka couldn’t possibly say such a terrible thing.
Example #2
こんな簡単な問題が解けないはずがない。
Furigana: こんなかんたんなもんだいがとけないはずがない。
Romaji: Konna kantan na mondai ga tokenai hazu ga nai.
English: There’s no way I can’t solve such an easy problem.
Example #3
昨日の夜、彼と会ったんだから、もう日本にいるはずがない。
Furigana: きのうのよる、かれとあったんだから、もうにほんにいるはずがない。
Romaji: Kinō no yoru, kare to atta n da kara, mō Nihon ni iru hazu ga nai.
English: Since I met him last night, there’s no way he’s already in Japan.
Example #4
彼女はプロの歌手だから、歌が下手なはずがない。
Furigana: かのじょはプロのかしゅだから、うたがへたなはずがない。
Romaji: Kanojo wa puro no kashu da kara, uta ga heta na hazu ga nai.
English: Since she is a professional singer, her singing can’t possibly be poor.
Example #5
あんなに勉強したんだ。試験に落ちるはずがない。
Furigana: あんなにべんきょうしたんだ。しけんにちるはずがない。
Romaji: Anna ni benkyō shita n da. Shiken ni ochiru hazu ga nai.
English: You studied so much. There’s no way you will fail the exam.
Example #6
こんな時間にもう店が閉まっているはずがない。
Furigana: こんなじかんにもうみせがしまっているはずがない。
Romaji: Konna jikan ni mō mise ga shimatte iru hazu ga nai.
English: The store cannot possibly be closed already at this hour.
Example #7
財布を落とした？ここに置いたんだから、なくなるはずがないよ。
Furigana: さいふをおとした？ここにおいたんだから、なくなるはずがないよ。
Romaji: Saifu o otoshita? Koko ni oita n da kara, nakunaru hazu ga nai yo.
English: Did you lose your wallet? Since you put it here, there’s no way it’s gone.
Example #8
部長がそのことを知らないはずがない。
Furigana: ぶちょうがそのことをしらないはずがない。
Romaji: Buchō ga sono koto o shiranai hazu ga nai.
English: There is no way the department manager doesn’t know about that matter.
Example #9
彼が嘘をついているはずがない。私は彼のことを信じている。
Furigana: かれがうそをついているはずがない。わたしはかれのことをしんじている。
Romaji: Kare ga uso o tsuite iru hazu ga nai. Watashi wa kare no koto o shinjite iru.
English: There’s no way he’s lying. I trust him.
Example #10
こんなに安い料金プランで高いはずがない。
Furigana: こんなにやすいりょうきんプランでたかいはずがない。
Romaji: Konna ni yasui ryōkin puran de takai hazu ga nai.
English: With such a cheap rate plan, the electricity bill shouldn’t be expensive.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Expresses Subjective Certainty
The negation is based on the speaker’s subjective conviction, trust, or knowledge (e.g., “I know him well, so I’m certain he wouldn’t lie”). It is not a purely objective statement.
Example: 彼が嘘をつくはずがない。(Kare ga uso o tsuku hazu ga nai.)
The use of は instead of が
While が is typical for the negation, は is often used instead of が to emphasize the topic (the thing being denied) or to create a stronger contrast.
Example: こんな簡単な問題は間違うはずがない。 (Konna kantan na mondai wa machigau hazu ga nai.)
Relationship with はずだ (Hazu da)
The positive counterpart, はずだ (hazu da), means “it should be the case” or “it is expected that.” Mastering both helps clarify the speaker’s degree of certainty.
Example: 彼は忙しいはずがない。(Kare wa isogashii hazu ga nai.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 好きはずがない (suki hazu ga nai)
✅ 好きなはずがない (suki na hazu ga nai)
Na-adjectives and nouns require the connecting particle な or の, respectively, before はず. Using the plain form (like 好きだ) directly is incorrect.
❌ 忙しはずがない (isogashi hazu ga nai)
✅ 忙しいはずがない (isogashii hazu ga nai)
I-adjectives use the plain form directly before はず. Do not remove the final い.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral to slightly assertive. To increase politeness, use はずがありません (hazu ga arimasen) or the more formal はずはないでしょう (hazu wa nai deshō).
Social Situations: Used when asserting a logical certainty against another person’s claim or observation. It can sound argumentative if used aggressively.
Regional Variations: The structure is standard across Japan, though casual shortening to はずない (hazu nai) is more prevalent in the Kanto region and media.
🔍 Subtle Differences
はずがない (hazu ga nai) vs. わけがない (wake ga nai)
はずがない is based on observable facts, evidence, or specific knowledge; わけがない is based on fundamental principles, rules, or common sense.
When to use: Use はずがない when denying a possibility based on a known fact (e.g., “The package left yesterday, so it hasn’t arrived yet”). Use わけがない when denying something that is fundamentally impossible (e.g., “A person cannot live without air”).
はずがない (hazu ga nai) vs. はずはない (hazu wa nai)
Using は emphasizes the contrast and makes the denial feel stronger or more definitive. Using が is the grammatically standard form for negation.
When to use: Use はずはない for a forceful, emphatic denial. Use はずがない in general conversation or writing where the emphasis is less critical.
📝 Conjugation Notes
The grammar pattern connects to the plain (dictionary) form of verbs, i-adjectives, and the appropriate modifying form (な/の) for na-adjectives and nouns. The final negation がない can be replaced with はずがありません (hazu ga arimasen) for politeness.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
In rapid, casual speech, the particle が (ga) is often dropped, resulting in はずない (hazu nai). For stronger emphasis, use the formal はずはありません (hazu wa arimasen).
🧠 Memory Tips
Relate はず (hazu) to the English word ‘hazard’ (in terms of probability or expectation). はずがない means ‘There is no chance/expectation of this outcome.’ It implies logical impossibility.
Other Grammar
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