JLPT N2 grammar
〜かねない — Meaning & Examples
Could well happen — ONLY for undesirable outcomes. 誤解されかねない. For positive possibilities use かもしれない instead.
〜かねない — The Negative Warning
〜かねない = "could well / might end up." Its defining feature: it is used only for undesirable outcomes.
Formation: ます-stem + かねない
そんなことを言うと、誤解されかねない。
= If you say that, it could well be misunderstood.
寝不足は健康を害しかねない。
= Lack of sleep could well damage your health.
このままでは、事故が起こりかねない。
= At this rate, an accident could well happen.
The restriction the exam tests:
❌ 彼は試験に合格しかねない。 (passing is good — かねない cannot be used)
✅ 彼は試験に落ちかねない。 = He could well fail.
If the outcome is positive, use 〜かもしれない instead.
Compare with 〜おそれがある — also "there's a risk," but more formal and typical of official announcements:
大雨のおそれがあります。 = There is a risk of heavy rain.
かねない = the speaker's warning ⚠️
おそれがある = an institutional risk statement 📢
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜かねない. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. Why is 彼は試験に合格しかねない wrong?
- 合格 cannot take かねない
- It needs the past tense
- かねない is only for undesirable outcomes
- かねない requires a noun
Show answer
Answer: かねない is only for undesirable outcomes
〜かねない is used ONLY for bad outcomes. For a positive possibility use かもしれない: 合格するかもしれない.
2. 寝不足は健康を害しかねない means?
- Lack of sleep cannot harm your health
- Lack of sleep definitely harms your health
- Lack of sleep could well harm your health
- Lack of sleep might improve your health
Show answer
Answer: Lack of sleep could well harm your health
〜かねない = could well happen, with a warning tone. The outcome is undesirable, which is required for this pattern.
3. 言いかねない and 言いかねます differ how?
- かねない = might well say it (bad); かねます = I cannot say it
- They are the same
- かねない = cannot say; かねます = might say
- Only in politeness level
Show answer
Answer: かねない = might well say it (bad); かねます = I cannot say it
Same stem, opposite direction. かねない is an affirmative warning; かねる is a negative refusal.
Practise 〜かねない in the free app
This point is part of the “⚠️ Possibility & Refusal — かねない・かねる・っこない・得る” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N2 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N2 grammar points
From the same lesson: ⚠️ Possibility & Refusal — かねない・かねる・っこない・得る
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜かねない mean?
Could well happen — ONLY for undesirable outcomes. 誤解されかねない. For positive possibilities use かもしれない instead.
Is 〜かねない on the JLPT N2 test?
〜かねない is taught in the JLPT N2 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “⚠️ Possibility & Refusal — かねない・かねる・っこない・得る”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜かねない?
Open the “⚠️ Possibility & Refusal — かねない・かねる・っこない・得る” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N2 mock exams, with no ads.