ないことはない
- 1Admits that something is possible or can be done, though without enthusiasm.Ex. 1
- 2Grants a hedged possibility that holds only under certain conditions.Ex. 2
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Used in everyday conversation and neutral speech to avoid a flat yes or no. It typically comes before が or けど, followed by a reservation, condition, or reason for reluctance. Compared with わけではない, which rejects an assumption or inference, ないことはない mainly concedes possibility or ability in a lukewarm way.
Do not confuse it with dictionary form + ことはない, which means 'there is no need to' (行くことはない = you don't need to go).
Note that it signals reluctant or partial agreement, so it sounds odd when expressing strong willingness or enthusiasm.
Learners should remember that a reservation or condition usually follows, often introduced with が or けど.
- なくはないN2「なくはない」has essentially the same meaning as「ないことはない」and the two are often interchangeable. It attaches without「こと」— say「行かなくはない」「高くなくはない」directly;「〜たくなくはない」is common for expressing desires, and it is also often said as「なくもない」.
- 〜なくもないN2The two have basically the same meaning and are mostly interchangeable.「なくもない」turns「ない」into「なく」and adds「もない」, as in「行かなくもない」「可能性がなくもない」; in everyday conversation「ないことはない」is more common.
- ないものでもないN1「ないものでもない」also expresses qualified affirmation, and with verbs it can largely be swapped in, but it is written-style and stiff in tone, carrying a nuance of "depending on the situation, it's possible…" plus a reluctant-concession or condescending flavor. It generally attaches only to the negative form of verbs, so use it cautiously with superiors or clients.
- わけではないN3「わけではない」denies a conclusion drawn from the preceding text or common sense ("it's not that…"); it attaches to plain forms, works with both affirmative and negative predicates, and with words like「すべて」it also expresses partial negation.「ないことはない」, by contrast, reluctantly acknowledges a possibility, so the two are generally not interchangeable.
- ないとも限らないN1「ないとも限らない」means "it's not certain that… won't happen"—it indicates that something cannot be ruled out and is often used to warn someone to be on guard; it leans written-style.「ないことはない」is a reluctant affirmation of a possibility or state with a neutral register, so the two cannot be interchanged.
なくはない and なくもない express a similar reserved 'not impossible,' and ないものでもない is a more formal, literary way to say something might be possible. わけではない denies an inference ('it's not that…'), while ないとも限らない warns that something, often undesirable, could happen, rather than conceding ability.
