“〜uru / 〜enai”: Can / Cannot Possibly Happen (written) [JLPT N2]
By Nihongo to Japan · Updated July 3, 2026
“Ari-uru hanashi da” “Shinji-enai” — expressing that something is (theoretically) possible or impossible
“〜uru・〜enai”: (Theoretically) Possible / Impossible (written)
「verb ます-stem ＋ 得る (uru/eru)」 expresses that something is (theoretically) possible — あり得る (possible), 起こり得る (can happen). The negative 得ない (enai) means “impossible” — あり得ない (impossible / no way). It's a written, objective way to talk about possibility.
🧠 Core nuance: the existence of a possibility, not ability
得る is about whether something can possibly happen (objective, theoretical possibility), not whether a person has a skill. So 「彼が来ることもあり得る」 = “it's possible that he'll come.” In reading, the dictionary form can be uru or eru (uru is more formal/written), but the negative is always enai, and the past is eta.
📌 How to Connect
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ます-stem ＋ 得る | verb ます-stem (drop ます) ＋ 得る | 起こり得る／あり得る |
| Negative | ます-stem ＋ 得ない | あり得ない (impossible) |
| Reading | uru/eru (dict.), enai (neg.) | あり得る = ari-uru / ari-eru |
💬 Example Sentences
- 誰にでも起こり得るミスだ。(It's a mistake anyone could make.) — objective possibility
- それは十分あり得る話だ。(That's entirely possible.)
- そんなこと、あり得ない！(No way that's possible! / That's absurd!) — strong denial
- この方法でも解決し得る。(This method, too, could solve it.) — written argument
- 最悪の事態も想定し得る。(Even the worst case can be anticipated.) — formal
🔄 Compare: 得る vs かねない vs かもしれない vs られる
| Expression | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜得る | (theoretically) possible, written/objective | 起こり得る |
| 〜かねない | possible (negative, worrying) | 事故になりかねない |
| 〜かもしれない | maybe, perhaps (colloquial guess) | 雨かもしれない |
| 〜られる | able to (potential / ability) | 食べられる |
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- Attaching dict. or て-form: ✗ 予想する得る／予想して得る → ✓ 予想し得る (ます-stem).
- Misreading the negative: the negative is always enai (あり得ない = ari-enai).
- Using it for ability: 得る is possibility, not “can do a skill” (use られる for ability).
- Forcing it in casual speech: everyday Japanese prefers かもしれない; 得る is written/formal.
💡 Nuance & When to Use
得る is a written, argumentative, formal way to express possibility, common in reports, critiques, academia, and news — while あり得る／あり得ない are high-frequency phrases used even in daily speech. It lends an objective, analytical tone. For a casual “maybe,” かもしれない is more natural, but 得る scores points in essays and the N2 exam.
🎯 JLPT Exam Tips
- High-frequency N2: ます-stem ＋ 得る — a common connection question (not the dictionary form).
- Reading: dictionary form is uru/eru; negative is enai.
- Distinction: use かねない for a bad possibility, 得る for a neutral one.
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. 「誰にでも起こり___ミスだ。」(a mistake anyone could make)
(A) 得る (B) かねる (C) きれない (D) っこない
Q2. What verb form comes before 「得る」?
(A) ます-stem (B) Dictionary form (C) ない-form (D) て-form
Q3. What does 「あり得ない」 mean?
(A) Impossible
(B) Definitely will happen
(C) Might happen
(D) Already happened
Q4. What is the nuance of 「得る」?
(A) (Theoretically) possible — written, objective
(B) Have no choice but to
(C) Merely
(D) Although 〜, yet
Q5. Which connection is correct?
(A) 予想し得る結果だ。 (B) 予想する得る。
(C) 予想して得る。 (D) 予想得る。
Answer Key
1. (A) 得る ── anyone could make it (起こり得る).
2. (A) ます-stem ── ます-stem ＋ 得る.
3. (A) ── impossible.
4. (A) ── theoretically possible (written).
5. (A) ── 「予想し得る」 (ます-stem) is correct.