Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
Expresses a strong negative conviction or the belief that something is impossible or highly unlikely to happen.
🎯 Primary Function
To emphatically state that something definitely won’t happen, there’s no way it will happen, or it couldn’t possibly happen.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb ます-stem + っこない (verb without ます) 例: 読みます → 読みっこない、行きます → 行きっこない、食べます → 食べっこない
*Some short verbs or irregular verbs may attach differently, e.g., 来る → 来っこない (Ki kkonai), する → しっこない (Shi kkonai – though するっこない is also heard), 見る → 見っこない (Mi kkonai). The masu-stem rule is the most general.
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Not used. Too informal and direct.
Informal Situations
Frequently used among close friends, family, or colleagues in casual settings.
Written Language
Rarely used, typically only in very casual writing like personal messages or dialogue in fiction.
Spoken Language
Very common, especially when expressing personal conviction or disbelief.
💡 Common Applications
Dismissing a possibility
Used to reject an idea or suggestion as impossible or ridiculous.
Example: 彼がそんなことをするっこないよ。 (Kare ga sonna koto o suru kkonai yo.) – There’s no way he would do such a thing.
Predicting failure or negative outcome
Used to express a strong belief that something will fail or not happen as planned.
Example: このやり方じゃ、うまくいくっこない。 (Kono yarikata ja, umaku iku kkonai.) – With this method, there’s no way it will go well.
Expressing personal inability or strong lack of desire
Though less common, it can sometimes imply the speaker strongly believes they cannot or will not do something.
Example: こんな難しい問題、私には解けるっこない。 (Konna muzukashii mondai, watashi ni wa tokeru kkonai.) – I couldn’t possibly solve such a difficult problem.
Frequency
Fairly common in informal spoken Japanese among native speakers.
Difficulty
Moderate (Understanding nuances and appropriate context is key for N2 learners).
Example Sentences
今から走っても、約束の時間に間に合うっこないよ。
Even if you run from now, there’s no way you’ll make it in time for the appointment.
そんな急な頼み、彼が聞いてくれるっこないだろう。
There’s no way he’d listen to such a sudden request, right?
宝くじなんて、当たるっこないって分かってるけど買っちゃうんだよね。
I know there’s no way I’ll win the lottery, but I still buy it.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Strong Emphasis
っこない carries a very strong, often subjective, feeling of impossibility or certainty that something won’t happen. It’s more forceful than a simple negative form.
Example: 「明日晴れるかな？」「いや、こんな天気じゃ晴れるっこない。」 (Is it going to be sunny tomorrow? No, with this weather, there’s no way it will be sunny.)
Informal Use Only
Never use っこない in formal situations, business contexts, or when speaking to superiors. It is strictly for casual conversation.
Example: Using 「間に合うっこないです。」 in a business meeting would sound very inappropriate.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using it formally
✅ Replace っこない with more formal expressions like ～はずがありません (~hazuga arimasen) or ～わけがありません (~wake ga arimasen).
っこない is too direct and informal for formal settings.
❌ Incorrect conjugation
✅ Ensure it attaches to the ます-stem (verb without ます).
Mistakes often happen with irregular verbs or applying it to plain form incorrectly.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Very low (highly informal)
Social Situations: Used among close friends, family, or people you are very familiar with.
Regional Variations: Used widely across Japan, though regional dialects may have variations or alternative expressions with similar meanings.
🔍 Subtle Differences
っこない vs. ～はずがない (~hazuga nai)
っこない is more informal and subjective, expressing a strong personal feeling of impossibility. ～はずがない is more objective and based on logical reasoning or expectation.
When to use: Use っこない in casual chat when you feel strongly that something is impossible or won’t happen. Use ～はずがない when stating something shouldn’t or couldn’t be the case based on logic or common sense.
っこない vs. ～わけがない (~wake ga nai)
Similar to ～はずがない, ～わけがない indicates there is no reason or circumstance for something to be true or happen. っこない is often a stronger, more emotional denial.
When to use: Both are stronger than a simple negative. わけがない is slightly more formal than っこない and implies a lack of logical basis.
undefined
undefined
When to use: undefined
📝 Conjugation Notes
Primarily attaches to the ます-stem. Be mindful of irregular verbs where the stem might seem less obvious (e.g., 来る → 来っこない, する → しっこない).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The 「っこ」 part is pronounced with a slight pause or glottal stop sound before the 「こ」, similar to the geminate consonant 「っ」.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of 「っこない」 as a shortened, punchy version of 「これは行かない！」 or 「絶対にありえない！」. The 「っこ」 adds emphasis, like a exclamation point on the negative.
Vocabulary List
間に合う
maniau
to be in time
約束
yakusoku
promise, appointment
急な
kyuu na
sudden, unexpected
頼み
tanomi
request
宝くじ
takarakuji
lottery
当たる
ataru
to win (a lottery); to hit
一度
once
Kanji List
間
ma, kan
interval, space
合
a(u)
to fit, to join
約
yaku
promise, approximately
束
soku
bundle, tie
急
kyuu
sudden, urgent
頼
tano(mu)
to ask, to rely
宝
takara
treasure
当
a(taru)
to hit, to win
度
do, tabi
degree, time
決
ki(meru)
to decide
考
kanga(eru)
to think
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct sentence using っこない:
A. 社長は明日来ますっこない。
B. 友達は遅刻するっこない。
C. これは難しいから、私にできるっこない。
D. 丁寧に書けば、間違えるっこないです。
Which situation is appropriate for using っこない?
A. Giving a presentation to clients.
B. Writing an academic paper.
C. Chatting with your best friend about a difficult test.
D. Asking your boss for a day off.
6 Views
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.