Mastering the Grammar Pattern: 決して～ない (Kesshite… nai)

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Mastering the Grammar Pattern: 決して～ない (Kesshite… nai)
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Never; by no means; decidedly not.

🎯 Primary Function

To strongly emphasize a negative statement or a sense of absolute resolve.

📋 Grammar Structure

決して + Verb [ない形]
決して + い-Adj [〜くない]
決して + な-Adj [ではない / じゃない]
決して + Negative Form (〜ない / 〜ません)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Frequently used in business pledges, speeches, and formal documents.

😊 Informal Situations

Used when making serious promises to friends or family, though it can sound a bit dramatic.

✍️ Written Language

Common in literature, news reports, and formal essays to provide emphasis.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used in serious conversations or public announcements.

💡 Common Applications

Expressing Strong Determination
Used when the speaker wants to emphasize a strong personal resolve or promise.
Example: 決して諦めません (I will never give up).
Emphasizing Impossibility
Used to clarify that something is not the case, often countering an assumption.
Example: 決して不可能ではない (It is by no means impossible).
Strict Prohibitions or Warnings
Used in formal warnings to emphasize that an action is strictly forbidden.
Example: 決して触らないでください (Never touch this).
📊
Frequency
Common in formal speech, writing, and serious declarations.
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N3 (Intermediate)
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N3 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N3 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
最後まで決して諦めない。
Furigana: さいごまでけっしてあきらめない。
Romaji: Saigo made kesshite akira menai.
English: I will never give up until the very end.
Example #2
この秘密は決して誰にも言わないでください。
Furigana: このひみつはけっしてだれにもいわないでください。
Romaji: Kono himitsu wa kesshite dare ni mo iwanai de kudasai.
English: Please never tell this secret to anyone.
Example #3
ご恩は決して忘れません。
Furigana: ごおんはけっしてわすれません。
Romaji: Goon wa kesshite wasuremasen.
English: I will never forget your kindness.
Example #4
彼は決して嘘をつかない男だ。
Furigana: かれはけっしてうそをつかないおとこだ。
Romaji: Kare wa kesshite uso o tsukanai otoko da.
English: He is a man who never tells a lie.
Example #5
決して易しい仕事ではありませんが、やってみたいです。
Furigana: けっしてやさしいしごとではありませんが、やってみたいです。
Romaji: Kesshite yasashii shigoto de wa arimasen ga, yatte mitai desu.
English: It is by no means an easy task, but I want to try.
Example #6
その結果は決して偶然ではない。
Furigana: そのけっかはけっしてぐうぜんではない。
Romaji: Sono kekka wa kesshite guuzen de wa nai.
English: The result was by no means a coincidence.
Example #7
決して一人でその部屋に入ってはいけません。
Furigana: けっしてひとりでそのへやにはいってはいけません。
Romaji: Kesshite hitori de sono heya ni haitte wa ikemasen.
English: You must never go into that room alone.
Example #8
彼女は決して今の状況に満足していない。
Furigana: かのじょはけっしていまのじょうきょうにまんぞくしていない。
Romaji: Kanojo wa kesshite ima no joukyou ni manzoku shite inai.
English: She is by no means satisfied with her current situation.
Example #9
この薬は決して万能薬ではない。
Furigana: このくすりはけっしてばんのうやくではない。
Romaji: Kono kusuri wa kesshite bannouyaku de wa nai.
English: This medicine is by no means a miracle cure.
Example #10
協力すれば、決して不可能なことではありません。
Furigana: きょうりょくすれば、けっしてふかのうなことではありません。
Romaji: Kyouryoku sureba, kesshite fukanou na koto de wa arimasen.
English: It is not by any means impossible if we work together.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Use with Adjectives
It is often used with adjectives to emphasize that a certain quality is absent, even if it might seem otherwise.
Example: 決して安くはない (It’s definitely not cheap).
Emphasis vs. Absolute Certainty
While both mean ‘never,’ ‘Kesshite’ is more formal and often implies a stronger sense of moral duty or objective impossibility.
Example: 絶対に忘れない vs 決して忘れない

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 決して忘れます (Kesshite wasuremasu).
✅ 決して忘れません (I will never forget).
‘Kesshite’ must always be paired with a negative ending. Using it with a positive verb is grammatically incorrect.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Relatively high. It carries a sense of gravity and sincerity.
Social Situations: Often used in apologies (promising never to repeat a mistake) or professional commitments.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese used nationwide.

🔍 Subtle Differences

決して vs. 全然 (Zenzen)
‘Zenzen’ focuses on the total amount of negation (not at all), while ‘Kesshite’ focuses on the strong will or the absolute nature of the state (by no means).
When to use: Use ‘Kesshite’ for promises or formal denials. Use ‘Zenzen’ for general lack of something.
決して vs. 絶対に (Zettai ni)
‘Zettai ni’ can be used with both positive and negative statements. ‘Kesshite’ is strictly for negatives.
When to use: Use ‘Zettai ni’ for ‘Definitely will’ or ‘Definitely won’t.’ Use ‘Kesshite’ only for ‘Never.’

📝 Conjugation Notes

Kesshite acts as an adverb that triggers a negative ending (nai, masen, dewa nai). It does not change the conjugation of the verb itself, but rather requires the verb to be in its negative form.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

The double consonant ‘ssh’ in ‘Kesshite’ should be pronounced clearly with a slight pause/tension before the ‘sh’ sound.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘Kesshite’ as ‘Decidedly not.’ The kanji 決して contains ‘Decide’ (決), so it’s a ‘decidedly’ negative statement.

Other Grammar

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