“〜nai to wa ienai・〜tomo ienai”: Can't Say It's Not 〜 / Can't Quite Say 〜 [JLPT N2]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「リスクがないとは言えない」 — a careful double negative: not none, and not quite either.

「失敗する可能性も、ないとは言えない」 — the indirect negation that leaves the door open

Reporting risks, 「失敗する可能性も、ないとは言えない」 (the possibility of failure can't be said not to exist either) — 「〜ないとは言えない・〜とも言えない」 are indirect, hedging negation strategies: 「ないとは言えない」 is a double negative that actually cautiously admits a possibility (= it might); 「とも言えない」 is can't be determined, can't say. This guide covers these two indirect negations and how to tell them from 「とは言えない (can't be said to be)」 (compare 〈とは言えない〉〈と言える〉).

Core: cautiously admitting a possibility／unable to determine

Both are hedging expressions that don't state things flatly, leaving room:

• 〜ないとは言えない = can't say it's not ～ (double negative = actually it might, it's possible): 可能性がないとは言えない (can't say there's no possibility = there is that possibility). It uses a double negative to indirectly admit a possibility.
• 〜とも言えない = can't say it's ～ either (can't determine, can't say): 正しいとも間違っているとも言えない (can't say it's right, can't say it's wrong). It marks inability to determine clearly, ambiguity.

Feel: “can't say it's not ～ (= it might)／can't say it's ～ either (can't determine)” — 「ないとは言えない」 is a double negative → indirectly admitting a possibility (= it might, it's possible); 「とも言えない」 is unable to reach a clear judgment, staying in the ambiguous zone. Both are cautious, room-leaving indirect negations, common in formal, objective statements.

How it attaches

See it in context

• 彼の言い分にも、一理ないとは言えない。(You can't say his argument is entirely without reason = there's some sense to it.)
• この方法が最善だとも言えない。(You can't say this method is the best either.)
• 天候次第では、中止もないとは言えない。(Depending on the weather, cancellation can't be ruled out = it's possible.)
• どちらが正しいとも言えない、難しい問題だ。(You can't say which is right — it's a hard problem.)
• 今後、値上がりしないとは言えない。(You can't say prices won't rise from now = they might.)

⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid

① 「ないとは言えない」 is a double negative, actually = ‘it might/could.' This is the easiest to get tangled in. 「〜ないとは言えない」 breaks down as “〜ない (not ～) ＋ とは言えない (can't say)” = “can't say ‘not ～'” = a double negative, which loops back to indirectly admitting “it might ～, it's possible”: 可能性がないとは言えない = “can't say ‘there's no possibility'” = “(actually) there is that possibility” (just put indirectly). So seeing 「ないとは言えない,」 don't get tangled in the two 「ない」 — its true meaning is “it might, it's possible ～” (expressed indirectly with a double negative, not stated flatly). It corresponds to “can't say it's not ～, not necessarily not ～, it might ～.” Test: flip the double negative “can't say it's not ～” to positive, and it's “it might/could ～.”

② 「とは言えない」 (can't be said to be) vs 「ないとは言えない」 (can't be said not to be): one 「ない」 apart, opposite meaning. These two are easily confused. 「〜とは言えない」 = can't be said to be ～, doesn't amount to ～ (indirect negation): 良いとは言えない (can't be said to be good = actually not so good, indirect negation, see 〈とは言えない〉). 「〜ないとは言えない」 = can't be said not to be ～, not necessarily not ～ (= it might, indirectly affirming a possibility): 良くないとは言えない (can't say it's not good = actually it might be okay, indirect admission). Difference: 「とは言えない」 is “(actually) not ～” (indirect negation); 「ないとは言えない」 has an extra 「ない」 making it a double negative, “(actually) it might ～” (indirectly admitting a possibility). Test: to indirectly say “actually not very ～, doesn't amount to ～” → とは言えない; to indirectly say “can't say it's not ～, it might ～” → ないとは言えない. (Compare 〈と言える〉's affirmative use.)

③ 「とも言えない」 = can't determine, can't say (ambiguous). 「〜とも言えない」 means “can't determine it's ～ either, can't say it's ～,” used when unable to judge clearly, the matter in an ambiguous zone: この案が良いとも言えない、悪いとも言えない (can't say this plan is good, can't say it's bad — can't determine). It's often paired 「〜とも〜とも言えない」 (can't say ～ nor ～), meaning both sides can't be determined, stuck in between: 成功だとも失敗だとも言えない (can't say it's a success, can't say it's a failure). It's a judgment-reserving, hedging indirection. Test: to express “can't judge clearly, can't say either way” → とも言えない (often paired). It differs from 「ないとは言えない (indirectly admitting a possibility)」 — 「とも言えない」 is “can't reach a clear judgment.”

🔄 Compare: ないとは言えない／とは言えない／とも言えない／ないとも限らない

💡 Learning tip

「〜ないとは言えない・とも言えない」 are both indirect, room-leaving negation strategies — three points: ① 「ないとは言えない」 is a double negative → actually = ‘it might/could' (可能性がないとは言えない = there is that possibility, indirectly admitted; don't get tangled in the two ない); ② 「とも言えない」 = can't determine, can't say (often paired 「〜とも〜とも言えない」 = can't say ～ nor ～, stuck in the ambiguous zone); ③ separate it from 「とは言えない」 — とは言えない = can't be said to be (indirect negation “actually not ～”), ないとは言えない = can't be said not to be (indirect admission “it might ～”); one 「ない」 apart, opposite meaning. This set is a Japanese knack for not stating things flatly, cautiously leaving room, common in formal, objective statements (risk assessment, academic). Compare 〈とは言えない〉 (can't be said to be) and 〈と言える〉 (can be said to be) to understand the whole 「言える／言えない」 family.

❓ Questions you might have

Q: 「ないとは言えない」 is a double negative — is it affirmative or negative in meaning?

It's a double negative → an indirect affirmative (admitting a possibility), meaning “can't say it's not ～ = actually it might, it's possible.” Breaking it down: 「〜ない」 (not ～) ＋ 「とは言えない」 (can't say) = “can't say ‘not ～',” the two negatives canceling, looping back to indirectly admitting “it might ～, it's possible.” The key is that it uses a double negative to express indirectly, not stating things flatly. E.g.:

• 可能性がないとは言えない = “can't say ‘there's no possibility'” = “(actually) there is that possibility” (but put indirectly, cautiously)
• 彼が犯人でないとは言えない = “can't say ‘he's not the culprit'” = “he could be the culprit too”
• 雨が降らないとは言えない = “can't say ‘it won't rain'” = “it might rain”

So seeing 「ないとは言えない,」 just read it as “it might ～, it's possible ～, not necessarily not ～” and you're right. Its function is to indirectly, cautiously admit a possibility — more reserved, less categorical than a direct “it might ～ (かもしれない),” common in formal, objective, caution-requiring settings (risk assessment, academic statements). It can be rendered “can't say it's not ～, not necessarily not ～, can't rule out ～.” Trick: meeting 「ないとは言えない,」 flip the double negative to positive (can't say it won't → it might), and you see it's indirectly saying “actually there is that possibility.” (Compare: 「とは言えない」 has one fewer ない — it's the indirect negation “can't be said to be = actually not ～,” opposite in direction, see 〈とは言えない〉.)

Q: What's the difference between 「とも言えない」 and 「ないとは言えない」?

Both are indirect negations, but different in direction and function. 「〜ないとは言えない」 = can't say it's not ～ (double negative → indirectly admitting a possibility): it actually indirectly admits “it might ～, it's possible”: 失敗する可能性もないとは言えない (can't say there's no possibility of failure = failure is possible). It leans toward (cautiously) admitting a possibility exists. 「〜とも言えない」 = can't say it's ～ either (can't determine clearly, ambiguous): it means unable to reach a clear judgment, the matter in an unclear, neither-side zone: この結果は成功とも失敗とも言えない (this result can't be called a success, can't be called a failure — can't determine), 正しいとも言えない (can't say it's right either — can't affirm). It leans toward reserving judgment, unable to categorize clearly. Difference: 「ないとは言えない」 is “(actually) it might/could” (admitting a possibility); 「とも言えない」 is “(I) can't determine, can't say” (reserving judgment). Test: to indirectly admit a possibility (it might, can't rule out) → ないとは言えない; to express inability to judge clearly, can't say either way (especially the paired 「〜とも〜とも言えない」) → とも言えない. E.g. 「危険がないとは言えない (can't say there's no danger = danger is possible)」 is admitting a possibility (ないとは言えない); 「良いとも悪いとも言えない (can't say good nor bad)」 is inability to determine (とも言えない). Both cautious and indirect, but one admits a possibility, one reserves judgment.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「その計画にリスクが___。慎重に進めよう。」(can't say there's no risk)

(A) ないとは言えない　(B) あるはずがない　(C) どころではない　(D) っこない

Q2. What does 「正しくないとは言えない」 mean?

(A) You can't say it's incorrect (= it has some merit, a hedged affirmation)

(B) Completely wrong

(C) Absolutely correct

(D) Don't know if it's right or wrong

Q3. What does 「一概に悪いとも言えない」 mean?

(A) You can't simply call it bad either (with reservation)

(B) It's definitely bad

(C) It's absolutely good

(D) Don't care whether it's good or bad

Q4. What is the logic of 「ないとは言えない」?

(A) Double negative = a hedged, partial affirmation

(B) Simple negation

(C) Strong affirmation

(D) Strong negation

Q5. Which usage is natural?

(A) 効果がないとは言えない。　(B) 効果があるとは言えないない(重複)。

(C) ないとは言えない行く。　(D) とも言えないだ高い。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) ないとは言えない ── Can't say there's no risk.

2. (A) ── Can't say it's incorrect (a hedged affirmation).

3. (A) ── Can't simply call it bad either.

4. (A) ── Double negative = a hedged partial affirmation.

5. (A) ── 「効果がないとは言えない」 is correct.