Posted inN1 Grammar

Unlocking ～はずがない: Expressing Certain Impossibility in Japanese

Posted inN1 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Used to express the speaker’s strong conviction, based on logical reasoning or factual evidence, that something is impossible or cannot possibly be the case.

🎯 Primary Function

To state with certainty that a particular situation, event, or fact is logically impossible or highly improbable.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (dictionary form/ない form/た form) + はずがない い-adjective + はずがない な-adjective + な + はずがない Noun + の + はずがない

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in formal contexts, especially in reasoned arguments or explanations, although slightly less formal than expressions like ～わけがない in some instances.

😊 Informal Situations

Frequently used in informal conversation to express strong disagreement or disbelief.

✍️ Written Language

Commonly found in essays, articles, and other written materials where the author expresses a strong opinion or logical deduction.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Very common in spoken Japanese to refute statements or express surprise and certainty simultaneously.

💡 Common Applications

Denying a possibility based on known facts.
When you have information that contradicts a statement or possibility, you use ～はずがない to say it cannot be true.
Example: 彼は昨日海外にいました。今日ここにいるはずがないです。 (He was overseas yesterday. There is no way he is here today.)
Expressing disbelief or surprise.
Used when something seems counter-intuitive or unbelievable based on your understanding.
Example: そんな簡単な問題に彼が間違えるはずがない。(He couldn’t possibly make a mistake on such a simple problem.)
Stating a logical impossibility.
When something is inherently impossible based on the circumstances.
Example: 朝から何も食べていないのに、お腹が空いていないはずがない。(Even though I haven’t eaten anything since morning, there’s no way I’m not hungry.)
📊
Frequency
Frequently used in both spoken and written Japanese to express strong denial or certainty about impossibility.
🎚️
Difficulty
N1 (Advanced) – Requires understanding nuances of expressing certainty and logical deduction, and differentiating from similar expressions.
Example Sentences
真面目な彼が、締め切りを守らないはずがない。
There is no way that someone as serious as him would not meet the deadline.
こんなに静かな場所で、事件が起こるはずがないと思っていた。
I thought an incident couldn’t possibly happen in such a quiet place.
この値段で、そんなに質の良いはずがない。
At this price, it couldn’t possibly be that good quality.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Expresses logical impossibility
～はずがない is based on logic, reason, or established facts, indicating that a situation cannot possibly occur or be true given the circumstances.
Example: 彼は毎日運動しているから、体力がないはずがない。(He exercises every day, so there’s no way he lacks physical strength.)
Stronger than simple negation
It conveys a stronger sense of certainty in the impossibility than just using a negative form.
Example: 彼はそのニュースを知らないはずがない。(There is no way he doesn’t know that news.) vs. 彼はそのニュースを知らない。(He doesn’t know that news.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Omitting な after な-adjectives.
✅ 元気なはずがない (Correct)
Remember to attach な after the stem of な-adjectives.
❌ Omitting の after Nouns.
✅ 学生のはずがない (Correct)
A connecting particle の is required between a noun and はずがない.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Generally neutral, can be used in slightly formal to informal contexts. The politeness level depends more on the surrounding sentence structure (e.g., using です or adding other polite particles).
Social Situations: Appropriate in situations where logical reasoning is relevant, such as discussions, arguments, or explaining why something cannot be the case. May sound abrupt if used without justification.
Regional Variations: The core grammar point is standard Japanese; regional variations are unlikely to affect the structure itself, though dialectical expressions might be used in place of or alongside it.

🔍 Subtle Differences

～はずがない vs. ～わけがない
Both express impossibility based on reason. わけがない often carries a slightly stronger emotional tone or emphasizes the “reason” (わけ) why it’s impossible. はずがない is generally more focused on logical expectation based on circumstances.
When to use: Use ～はずがない when asserting that something is impossible based on a logical prediction or expected state. Use ～わけがない when asserting impossibility often due to a strong reason or disbelief, potentially with more emotional emphasis.
～はずがない vs. ～っこない
～っこない is a highly informal, stronger expression of impossibility, mostly used in spoken Japanese among close friends. ～はずがない is more versatile and can be used in slightly more formal settings.
When to use: Use ～はずがない in a wider range of situations, including somewhat formal ones. Use ～っこない only in very informal, casual conversations to express absolute impossibility.
～はずがない vs. ～に違いない
～はずがない means “cannot possibly be”. ～に違いない means “must be / is certainly the case”. They are opposites.
When to use: Use ～はずがない to deny a possibility. Use ～に違いない to assert a certainty.

📝 Conjugation Notes

Verbs connect directly in plain form (dictionary, ない, た). I-adjectives connect directly. Na-adjectives require な. Nouns require の.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

はずがない (hazu ga nai) is usually pronounced with a slight pause or emphasis between はず and がない to highlight the impossibility.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of はず as “expectation” or “prediction”. はずがない literally means “there is no such expectation,” which translates to “it cannot possibly be true” or “there is no way.”

Practice Exercises
彼が約束を破る＿＿＿＿。
はずだ
はずがない
かもしれない
に違いない
この忙しい時期に、休暇が取れる＿＿＿＿。
はずだ
わけだ
はずがない
ことだ
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