「かねない」- Potential Negative Outcome

Explanation

Grammar: Verb masu-stem + かねない
Meaning: Indicates the possibility of a negative or undesirable outcome.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
〜かねない	Verb masu-stem + かねない	Used to express the possibility of something happening, often implying a negative or undesirable result.

Basic Usage

• 適度てきどなスポーツは健康けんこうに良よいと言いわれるが、やり過すぎると体からだを壊こわしかねない。
• Tekido na supōtsu wa kenkō ni yoi to iwareru ga, yarisugiru to karada o kowashikanenai.
• Moderate exercise is said to be good for health, but overdoing it might harm your body.
  

Deep Dive

「〜かねない」can be used not only in everyday conversations but also in more formal contexts, such as news reports or official statements.

• このこのままでは、経済けいざいが崩壊ほうかいしかねない。
• Kono mama de wa, keizai ga hōkai shikanenai.
• If things continue like this, the economy might collapse.
  

• こんなこんなにも暑あついと熱中症ねっちゅうしょうになりかねないから、ちゃんと水分補給すいぶんほきゅうしよう。
• Konna ni mo atsui to netchūshō ni narikanenai kara, chanto suibun hokyū shiyou.
• It's so hot that you might get heatstroke, so make sure to stay hydrated.
  

Examples

• 彼かれは秘密ひみつを漏もらしかねない。
• Kare wa himitsu o morashikanenai.
• He might leak the secret.
  

• このこの薬くすりは副作用ふくさようが出でかねない。
• Kono kusuri wa fukusayō ga dekanenai.
• This medicine might have side effects.
  

• 安全あんぜん確認かくにんをしっかりしないと、大おおきな事故じこが起おこりかねない。
• Anzen kakunin o shikkari shinai to, ōkina jiko ga okorikanenai.
• If safety checks aren't done properly, a major accident might occur.
  

Common Mistakes

• Some learners might confuse「〜かねない」with「〜かもしれない」. The former emphasizes negative outcomes, while the latter is more neutral. Pay attention to the context when using them.
• Also, when using「〜かねない」, ensure that the situation described is indeed plausible to avoid misunderstandings.

Real-Life Scenarios

「〜かねない」is suitable for various situations, such as:

• Discussing potential dangers, like accidents or health issues.
• Reminding colleagues of possible mistakes or consequences in the workplace.
• Describing the possibility of social issues or economic crises in news reports.

Summary

「〜かねない」is an important expression, especially when describing situations that might lead to unfavorable outcomes. Mastering this grammar point will help improve the accuracy and richness of your Japanese expressions.