must not; cannot afford to; must~ (わけにはいかない) – Japanese Grammar わけにはいかない (wake niwa ikanai)

Q: What JLPT level is わけにはいかない?

JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Q: How do you use わけにはいかない in a sentence?

Attach わけにはいかない to the appropriate verb or noun form. Must not; cannot afford to; must~

Q: Is わけにはいかない formal or casual Japanese?

わけにはいかない can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

わけにはいかない

N3 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

wake niwa ikanai

must not; cannot afford to; must~

てからでないと te kara de nai to めったに～ない metta ni~nai だけど dakedo ている場合じゃない teiru baai janai とおりに toori ni にしても ni shite mo ても始まらない temo hajimaranai 上で ue de つもりだった tsumori datta 途中で tochuu de しばらく shibaraku 合う au わざと wazato くらい・ぐらい kurai / gurai ばかりでなく bakari denaku ばかりで bakari de と共に to tomo ni 中 chuu / juu によって / による ni yotte / ni yoru ぶりに buri ni てからでないと te kara de nai to めったに～ない metta ni~nai だけど dakedo ている場合じゃない teiru baai janai とおりに toori ni にしても ni shite mo ても始まらない temo hajimaranai 上で ue de つもりだった tsumori datta 途中で tochuu de しばらく shibaraku 合う au わざと wazato くらい・ぐらい kurai / gurai ばかりでなく bakari denaku ばかりで bakari de と共に to tomo ni 中 chuu / juu によって / による ni yotte / ni yoru ぶりに buri ni

🃏 Flashcard

わけにはいかない

wake niwa ikanai

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must not; cannot afford to; must~

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N3

Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Reading wake niwa ikanai

Post ID 50981

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

must not; cannot afford to; must~

📖 How to use it

Expresses that one cannot do something due to social or personal obligation, or that one must not do something.

Attaches to Attach to the dictionary form of a verb, or to the negative form (ない-form) of a verb. For verbs in negative, attach to the ない-stem, but the pattern is わけにはいかない after the dictionary form and ないわけにはいかない after the ない-form.

This pattern conveys a strong sense of obligation or prohibition based on circumstances, social norms, or personal responsibilities. When used with a positive verb (dictionary form), it means 'cannot do' or 'must not do' because it would be unacceptable or impossible given the situation. For example, if you have a prior commitment, you cannot go to a party: パーティーに行くわけにはいかない. When used with a negative verb (ない-form), it becomes a double negative, meaning 'cannot not do' or 'must do'. This expresses a strong compulsion: 行かないわけにはいかない means 'I cannot not go' (I must go). The nuance is that the reason is external or ethical, not just personal preference. It is often used in situations where you feel socially pressured or morally bound.

明日は試験があるので、今夜は遊んでいるわけにはいかない。

Ashita wa shiken ga aru node, kon'ya wa asonde iru wake niwa ikanai.

I have an exam tomorrow, so I can't afford to be playing around tonight.

上司がまだ働いているから、私だけ先に帰るわけにはいかない。

Jōshi ga mada hataraite iru kara, watashi dake saki ni kaeru wake niwa ikanai.

Since my boss is still working, I can't leave early by myself.

友達が困っているのを見たら、助けないわけにはいかない。

Tomodachi ga komatte iru no o mitara, tasukenai wake niwa ikanai.

If I see my friend in trouble, I can't not help them (I must help).

Not てはいけないてはいけない is a direct prohibition ('must not do'), often from rules or authority. わけにはいかない implies a personal or social impossibility, not a rule. For example, ここでタバコを吸ってはいけない is a rule, while ここでタバコを吸うわけにはいかない means 'I can't smoke here' because it's inappropriate, even if not explicitly forbidden.

Register This pattern is used in both speaking and writing, but it is somewhat formal and often used in serious or polite contexts. In casual speech, you might hear わけにはいかない, but it carries weight.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

わけにはいかない

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Compose two original sentences using わけにはいかない. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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🔗 More JLPT N3 Patterns

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わけがない

there is no way that~

割に

considering; relatively; unexpectedly

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern わけにはいかない mean? ▼

Must not; cannot afford to; must~

What JLPT level is わけにはいかない? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use わけにはいかない in a sentence? ▼

Attach わけにはいかない (wake niwa ikanai) 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 わけにはいかない formal or casual Japanese? ▼

わけにはいかない is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember わけにはいかない 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.