no chance of; definitely not possible (っこない) – Japanese Grammar っこない (kkonai)

Q: What JLPT level is っこない?

JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage

Q: How do you use っこない in a sentence?

Attach っこない to the appropriate verb or noun form. No chance of; definitely not possible

Q: Is っこない formal or casual Japanese?

っこない is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

っこない

N2 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

kkonai

no chance of; definitely not possible

も当然だ mo touzen da でしかない de shika nai つつ tsutsu ばかり bakari 反面 hanmen そうすると sou suru to からには kara niwa しかも shikamo ふうに fuu ni といった to itta どころではない dokoro dewa nai からして kara shite に応じて ni oujite 抜く nuku につけ ni tsuke てはならない tewa naranai に伴って ni tomonatte ていては te ite wa 以上は ijou wa というふうに to iu fuu ni も当然だ mo touzen da でしかない de shika nai つつ tsutsu ばかり bakari 反面 hanmen そうすると sou suru to からには kara niwa しかも shikamo ふうに fuu ni といった to itta どころではない dokoro dewa nai からして kara shite に応じて ni oujite 抜く nuku につけ ni tsuke てはならない tewa naranai に伴って ni tomonatte ていては te ite wa 以上は ijou wa というふうに to iu fuu ni

🃏 Flashcard

っこない

kkonai

Tap to reveal usage

no chance of; definitely not possible

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N2

Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage

Reading kkonai

Post ID 51048

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

no chance of; definitely not possible

📖 How to use it

Expresses that something has absolutely no chance of happening or being true; a strong negative assertion.

Attaches to Attach to the ます-stem of verbs (the form used before ます, e.g., でき, 行き). For verbs like する, use し; for くる, use き.

っこない is a colloquial, emphatic way to say something is impossible. It's stronger than just using the negative form of a verb; it asserts that there's no way, no chance. You'll hear it in everyday speech, often with frustration or certainty.

It attaches to the ます-stem of a verb. For example, from できる (can do) you get できっこない (no way can do). From 行く (go) you get 行きっこない (no way will go). It's not used with nouns or adjectives directly.

This pattern is common in casual conversation but can sound blunt or even rude if used in formal settings. It's fine among friends or when you want to emphasize your opinion strongly.

こんな難しい問題、子供にできっこないよ。

Konna muzukashii mondai, kodomo ni deki kkonai yo.

There's no way a child can solve this difficult problem.

あの人はそんなこと言いっこない。

Ano hito wa sonna koto ii kkonai.

That person would never say something like that.

今からでも遅くない？いや、もう間に合いっこない。

Ima kara demo osokunai? Iya, mou ma ni ai kkonai.

Is it still not too late? No, there's no way we'll make it now.

Not わけがないわけがない also expresses strong impossibility but is slightly more logical and can be used in more formal contexts. っこない is more emotional and colloquial. Also, っこない always attaches to the ます-stem, while わけがない attaches to the plain form (verb or adjective) or noun + な.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

っこない

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat っこない three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using っこない. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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Spaced Review

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🔗 More JLPT N2 Patterns

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からと言って

just because; even if; even though~

ことだ

should do~ (suggestions or advice)

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern っこない mean? ▼

No chance of; definitely not possible

What JLPT level is っこない? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use っこない in a sentence? ▼

Attach っこない (kkonai) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is っこない formal or casual Japanese? ▼

っこない is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.

How can I remember っこない long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.