ではないか
🃏 Flashcard
ではないか
dewa nai ka
Tap to reveal usage
right?; isn't it?
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
dewa nai ka
Post ID
50693
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
right?; isn't it?
📖 How to use it
Suggests that something is true and expects agreement, like 'isn't it?' or 'right?'
Attaches to
Attach to the plain form of verbs and i-adjectives (e.g., 行くではないか, 面白いではないか). For nouns and na-adjectives, attach directly without だ (e.g., 学生ではないか, きれいではないか).
ではないか is used when you want to point out something and seek confirmation. It often implies that you believe the statement is true and want the listener to agree. It can be spoken or written. In conversation, it often sounds like you're inviting the listener to notice or acknowledge something. For example, if you see a friend and say 元気ではないか, you're saying 'You look well, right?' or 'Aren't you well?'
この映画は面白いではないか。
Kono eiga wa omoshiroi dewa nai ka.
This movie is interesting, isn't it?
彼は学生ではないか。
Kare wa gakusei dewa nai ka.
He is a student, isn't he?
今日は暑いではないか。
Kyou wa atsui dewa nai ka.
It's hot today, isn't it?
Not じゃないか
ではないか is more formal and often used in writing or formal speech. じゃないか is its casual spoken form, common in everyday conversation. They have the same meaning, but choose based on formality.
Register
ではないか is somewhat formal and common in written language; in casual conversation, じゃないか is more natural.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ではないか
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ではないか three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using ではないか. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ではないか mean?
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Right?; isn't it?
What JLPT level is ではないか?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ではないか in a sentence?
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Attach ではないか (dewa nai ka) 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 ではないか formal or casual Japanese?
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ではないか is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember ではないか long-term?
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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.