Japanese かねない grammar kanenai
Hello everyone! In this post, Learn Japanese Daily would like to introduce you to the new lesson: Japanese かねない grammar kanenai.
Usage
Vますー＞Vかねない
Meaning : Describe the meaning “might/is possible…”. It is often used with negative meanings more than positive meanings. Use in writing.
Example :
今週、大きい台風が来かねない。
Konshuu, ookii taifuu ga ki kanenai.
A big typhoon may come this week.
君は彼に気持ちを傷付きかねない。今度言葉をに気をつけなさい。
Kimi ha kare ni kimochi wo kizu tsuki kanenai. Kondo kotoba ni ki wo tsuke nasai.
You might have hurt his feelings. Be careful with your words next time.
A「彼女はめまいをして頭が痛くて風邪を引きかねないと言ったよ。」
B「じゃ、今日会社を休んで家でゆっくりしなさいと伝えてください。」
A : “Kanojo ha memai wo shite atama ga itakute kaze wo hiki kanenai to itta yo.”
B : “Ja, kyou kaisha wo yasunde ie de yukkuri shinasai to tsutaete kudasai..”
A : “She said she was dizzy and had a headache so she might have caught a cold.”
B : “Well, please tell her to take a break from work and relax at home today.”
小さいタバコを森に捨てたのに、山火事になりかねない。
Chiisai tabako wo mori ni suteta noni, yamakaji ni nari kanenai.
Throwing a small cigarette into the forest can cause a wildfire.
今日、高橋さんは上司の話を同意しないと述べました。首になりかねない。
Kyou, takahashi san ha jooushi no kotoba wo doui shinai to nobe mashita. Kubi ni nari kanenai.
Today, Mr. Takahashi expressed his disagreement with the boss. He might be fired.
あの家は古くて何年間誰も住んでいなくて地震が起こると倒れかねない。
Ano ie ha furukute nan nenkan mo sunde inakute jishin ga okoru to taorekanenai.
That house is old and no one has lived in it for years, so if an earthquake occurs, it might collapse.
お酒を飲んで運転すると、悲惨な事故になりかねないので、注意が必要です。
Osake wo nonde unten suru to, hisan na jiko ni nari kane nai node, chuui ga hitsuyou desu.
Driving after drinking alcohol might lead to tragic accidents, so you have to be careful.
小さい問題でも不注意のときに大きくなって深刻になりかねない。
Chiisai mondai demo fuchuui no tokini ookiku natte shinkoku ni nari kanenai.
A small problem can become serious when you are careless.
お前はそのまま授業をサボって先生に叱られかねないよ。
Omae ha sono mama jugyou wo sabotte sensei ni shikarare kanenai yo.
You can be scolded by the teacher if you keep skipping classes like that.
君は中村くんに打ち明けたら、秘密を漏らされかねない。
Kimi ha nakamura kun ni uchi ake tara, himitsu wo morasare kanenai.
If you confess to Nakamura, your secret might be revealed.
A「いつも遅れる彼なら、今度の会議も遅刻しかねない。」
B「私もそうと思うよ。」
A : “Itsumo okureru kare nara, kondo no kaigi mo chikoku shi kanenai.”
B : “Watashi mo sou to omou yo.”
A : “If it’s a person who is always late like him, this meeting might also be late.”
B : “I think so too.”
君はこんなに不健康な生活を続けたら、将来重病になりかねない。早く変えしたほうがいいですね。
Kimi ha konna ni fukenkou na seikasu wo tsuduke tara, shourai juubyou ni nari kanenai. Hayaku kaeta hou ga ii desu ne.
If you continue this unhealthy life, you may be seriously ill in the future. You should change it soon.
先生「この言葉をその場合に使ったら、誤解を招きかねない。もっと適当な言葉を使ってください。」
B「はい、分かりました。」
Sensei : “Kono kotoba wo sono baau ni tsukattara, gokai wo maneki kanenai. Motto tekitou na kotoba wo tsukatte kudasai.”
B : “Hai, wakarimashita.”
Teacher : “Using this word in that case might lead to misunderstanding. Please use a more suitable word.”
B : “Yes, I got it.”
A「昨日テーブルから落ちたパソコンは使えなくなりかねない。」
B「そうか。何でそんなに不注意なの。」
A : “Kinou te-buru kara ochita pasokon ha tsukae naku nari kanenai.”
B : “Souka. nande sonna ni fuchuui nano.”
A : “The computer that fell from the table yesterday could be unusable.”
B : “Really? Why are you so careless?”
ここは危険なところです。軽率しないでください。財布や貴重品など盗まれかねない。
Koko ha kiken na tokoro desu. Keisotsu shinaide kudasai. Saifu ya kichouhin nado nusumare kanenai.
This place is dangerous. Don’t be careless. Your wallets and valuables can be stolen.
あの人は二十歳なのに、まだお母さんに何でも頼むことを皆に知られたら、笑われかねない。
Ano hito ha hatachi na noni, mada okaasan ni nandemo tanomu koto wo mina ni shirare tara, waraware kanenai.
That person is 20 years old, but if everyone knows that he still asks his mom for everything, they might laugh at him.
現在、深刻な不況で会社は経済がとても困難なので、倒産しかねない。
Genzai, shinkoku na fukyou de kaisha ha keizai ga totemo konnan nano de, tousan shikanenai.
Currently, due to a severe recession, the economy of companies is in trouble, so they might go bankrupt.
A「そうしたら、他の悪い結果に繋がりかねない。」
B「そんなこと心配しなくてもいいよ。」
A : “Soushitara, hika no warui kekka ni tsunagari kanenai.”
B : “Sonna koto shinpai shinakute mo ii yo.”
A : “If we do that, it can lead to other bad results.”
B : “You don’t have to worry about it.”
あの子は洗濯機の起動ボタンを押し続けたら、壊しかねない。
Ano ko ha sentakuki no kidou botan wo oshi tsuduketara, kowashi kanenai.
If that child keeps pressing the start button of the washing machine, he/she can break it.
干渉せずにそのままに無視したら、良くない傾向に発展しかねない。
Koushou sezuni sono mama ni mushi shitara, yokunai keikou ni hatten shikanenai.
If you keep ignoring it without interfering, it can develop in a bad way.
A「あんなにひどい話、そのやつは子供に言いかねない。」
B「あのやつは本当に変態なやつだ。」
A : “Anna ni hidoi hanashi, sono yatsu ha kodomo ni ii kanenai.”
B : “Ano yatsu ha hontou ni hentai na yatsu da.”
A : “That guy might tell such a terrible story to children.”
B : “He really is a pervert.”
Note
With this grammar structure, you must pay attention to the following things :
1) It is not used to talk about yourself.
Example :
(Wrong) 私は熱を出しかねない。
Watashi ha netsu wo dashi kanenai.
2) It is only used in bad situations. In good situations, we use「かもしれない」(kamo shirenai)
Above is Japanese かねない grammar kanenai. Hope this post can help you improve your grammar skill.
