JLPT N2 grammar
〜わけがない — Meaning & Examples
"There's no way / it can't possibly be." Strong logical impossibility. そんなわけがない = no way! Stronger and more absolute than はずがない.
〜わけがない — "There's No Way"
わけがない expresses strong logical impossibility — "there's absolutely no way / it can't possibly be."
Pattern: [plain form] + わけがない
（casual: わけない）
そんな簡単に成功するわけがない。
= There's no way it'll succeed that easily.
彼がそんなことを言うわけがない。
= There's no way he'd say something like that.
こんな難しい問題、子どもに解けるわけがない。
= There's no way a child could solve a problem this hard.
毎日練習しているんだから、下手なわけがない。
= They practise every day, so there's no way they're bad.
Compare with はずがない (N3):
- はずがない = "shouldn't be" (based on expectation/evidence)
- わけがない = "can't possibly be" (based on logic/reason) — generally stronger
そんなはずがない ≈ そんなわけがない, but わけがない feels more absolute.
Key feeling: Confident, reasoned rejection. The speaker is certain it's impossible.
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜わけがない. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. Which pattern means "no wonder / that's why"?
- わけにはいかない (wake ni wa ikanai)
- わけではない (wake de wa nai)
- わけがない (wake ga nai)
- わけだ (wake da)
Show answer
Answer: わけだ (wake da)
わけだ draws a logical conclusion: 道理で寒いわけだ = no wonder it's cold. You connect new evidence to a fact you already noticed.
2. "It's not that I dislike it, but..." uses?
- 嫌いなわけではない (kirai na wake de wa nai)
- 嫌いなわけだ (kirai na wake da)
- 嫌いなわけがない (kirai na wake ga nai)
- 嫌いなわけにはいかない (kirai na wake ni wa ikanai)
Show answer
Answer: 嫌いなわけではない (kirai na wake de wa nai)
わけではない = partial denial. 嫌いなわけではない = it's not (necessarily) that I dislike it. Softens an assumption.
3. "There's no way he'd say that" is?
- 言うわけだ (iu wake da)
- 言うわけではない (iu wake de wa nai)
- 言うわけがない (iu wake ga nai)
- 言うわけにはいかない (iu wake ni wa ikanai)
Show answer
Answer: 言うわけがない (iu wake ga nai)
わけがない = strong impossibility. 彼がそんなことを言うわけがない = there's no way he'd say that.
Practise 〜わけがない in the free app
This point is part of the “The わけ Family — Logic and Conclusions” 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: The わけ Family — Logic and Conclusions
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜わけがない mean?
"There's no way / it can't possibly be." Strong logical impossibility. そんなわけがない = no way! Stronger and more absolute than はずがない.
Is 〜わけがない on the JLPT N2 test?
〜わけがない is taught in the JLPT N2 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “The わけ Family — Logic and Conclusions”), 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 〜わけがない?
Open the “The わけ Family — Logic and Conclusions” 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.