N2 · Expressions (N2)
わけにはいかない: cannot in good conscience
cannot very well, must
Not "cannot" for lack of ability, but "cannot" because it would not be right.
The dictionary form plus わけにはいかない says that something is out of the question — not because it is impossible, but because of a reason the speaker feels bound by: duty, manners, a promise, what others would think. 明日は試験だから、遊びに行くわけにはいかない: I could go out, but with an exam tomorrow I cannot let myself. The polite form is わけにはいきません, and in speech the は often drops: わけにいかない.
With a negative in front, it turns into an obligation: 行かないわけにはいかない, "I cannot not go" — I have to, even though I would rather not. This double negative is common, and it carries a reluctance that なければならない does not.
わけ here is "reason" or "way": literally, there is no way it can go along with doing that. That is why the phrase is about situations, not abilities. It sits between two plainer neighbours — できない for what is impossible, てはいけない for what a rule forbids — and names what the speaker's own judgement forbids.
English "can't" covers all three, and English speakers therefore use this phrase for plain inability, which sounds odd. If you cannot swim, you cannot swim: 泳げない. Keep わけにはいかない for things you could do and will not let yourself do.
The form
| cannot very well go | 行くわけにはいかない |
| polite | 行くわけにはいきません |
| in speech, without は | 行くわけにいかない |
| past | 行くわけにはいかなかった |
| cannot not go: must go | 行かないわけにはいかない |
| cannot very well … either | 断るわけにもいかない |
The rules one by one
The dictionary form plus わけにはいかない: it would not be right, so I cannot.
大切な会議があるので、休むわけにはいかない。There is an important meeting, so I cannot very well take the day off.
The ない-form plus わけにはいかない: I cannot avoid it, so I must.
上司に頼まれたら、引き受けないわけにはいかない。If my boss asks, I can hardly refuse.
With も in place of は it means "cannot … either", often after weighing two unwelcome choices.
行きたくないが、断るわけにもいかない。I do not want to go, but I cannot really say no either.
The reason is social or moral, never a lack of ability.
車で来たので、お酒を飲むわけにはいかない。I came by car, so I cannot drink.
A closer look
Three ways of saying cannot
Japanese splits the English "can't" by asking where the obstacle is. If it is in the person — no skill, no time, no strength — the potential form answers: 行けない. If it is a rule laid down by somebody else, 行ってはいけない. If it is in the speaker's own sense of what is proper, 行くわけにはいかない.
Because the third one is the speaker's judgement, it is also a polite way to refuse. 受け取るわけにはいきません, said of a gift, does not claim the gift is forbidden or impossible to accept; it says that accepting would not be right, and leaves the other person no reason to feel rejected.
How to spot it
- わけにはいかない
- わけにはいきません
- わけにいかない
- わけにもいかない
- ないわけにはいかない
Example sentences
約束したのだから、いまさらやめるわけにはいかない。I promised, so I cannot back out now.
みんなが待っているので、私だけ先に帰るわけにはいかない。Everyone is waiting, so I cannot very well go home before them.
友人の結婚式だから、出席しないわけにはいかない。It is my friend's wedding, so I have to be there.
これは会社のお金なので、自由に使うわけにはいきません。This is company money, so I cannot spend it as I please.
熱があるが、試験の日なので休むわけにはいかない。I have a temperature, but it is exam day, so I cannot stay at home.
秘密だと言われたので、教えるわけにはいかないんです。I was told it is a secret, so I really cannot tell you.
7 more example sentences
客の前で笑うわけにはいかなかった。I could hardly laugh in front of the customer.
親に心配をかけるわけにはいかない。I cannot let my parents worry about me.
せっかく作ってくれたのだから、食べないわけにはいかない。She went to the trouble of making it, so I have to eat it.
責任者として、黙っているわけにはいかない。As the person responsible, I cannot just keep quiet.
一度始めたことを途中でやめるわけにはいかない。Having started, I cannot give up halfway.
明日は早いので、遅くまで飲んでいるわけにはいかない。I have an early start tomorrow, so I cannot stay out drinking late.
上司の誘いなので、断るわけにもいかない。It is my boss who is asking, so I cannot very well say no.
Worth knowing (1)
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Not the same as わけではない
わけではない looks similar and means something else entirely: "it is not that …", a way of correcting a wrong impression. 行きたくないわけではない is "it is not that I do not want to go"; 行かないわけにはいかない is "I have to go". Look for に and いかない.
嫌いなわけではないが、今日は食べたくない。It is not that I dislike it; I just do not feel like it today.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Not knowing the kanji is a matter of ability, and ability is the potential form: 読めない. With わけにはいかない the sentence claims that reading the book would somehow be improper, which is not what was meant.
わけにはいかない is the "cannot" of conscience, not of ability.
Your turn
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