N2 Grammar ⑪　かねる / かねない

Can't bring oneself to / might well — hesitation vs risk warning

'I find it hard to agree with that plan.' 'Without preparation, you might well fail.' These two look similar but mean opposite things — mastering them prevents embarrassing mix-ups.

What you'll learn

• 〜かねる: 'can't bring oneself to' — psychological/moral barrier (formal refusal)
• 〜かねない: 'might well ~' — warning of a possible bad outcome
• かねる: used for polite written refusals (信じかねます, 賛成しかねます)
• Critical: かねる = I won't/can't do it. かねない = it might happen. Opposite!

JLPT N2 Japanese self-study — interactive practice, instant feedback, completely free.