N2 Grammar ⑪　かねる / かねない

JLPT N2 Japanese self-study　·　~15 min　·　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!

How to study “N2 Grammar ⑪　かねる / かねない”

“N2 Grammar ⑪　かねる / かねない” (Can't bring oneself to / might well — hesitation vs risk warning) is a JLPT N2 chapter of our free Japanese self-study course, about 15 min. You learn by doing — flashcard drills and fill-in-the-blank quizzes graded on the spot — completely free, with no sign-up and no ad wall. Once it clicks, read the matching in-depth explainer over in Grammar.