かねる/かねない

Meaning

かねる expresses that something is difficult to do or that the speaker cannot bring themselves to do something, often used in polite refusals. かねない, the negative form, means there is a possibility of an undesirable result occurring. Both patterns are commonly used in formal or written Japanese, with かねない typically paired with negative or undesirable outcomes.

Formation

Examples

1. 本案件につきましては、納得しかねます。一旦、会社に持ち帰らせていただき、再度ご返答差し上げます。
   Regarding this proposal, I find it difficult to agree. Let me take it back to the company and give you a response later.

2. ご連絡出来かねる場合もありますので、ご了承下さい。
   There may be cases where we cannot contact you, so please understand.

3. 試験の結果はオンラインでお知らせいたします。電話での試験結果についての質問にはお答えしかねます。
   Test results will be announced online. We cannot answer questions about test scores via phone.

4. お客様の個人情報が流出したら、わが社の信頼を失いかねません。
   If our customers' personal information were to leak, our company could lose its credibility.

5. マニュアル通りにエレベーターの点検作業をしないと、事故を起こしかねないよ。
   If you don't perform elevator maintenance according to the manual, you could cause an accident.

6. 肩のけがはまだ完全に治っていないのだから、無理に明日の試合に出るなら、そのけがは悪化しかねません。
   Your shoulder injury hasn't completely healed, so if you force yourself to play in tomorrow's match, that injury could worsen.

Summary

• かねる means 'difficult to do' or 'unable to do,' often used in polite refusals or formal contexts
• かねない means 'liable to' or 'likely to cause,' typically associated with negative or undesirable consequences
• Both patterns are formal and commonly used in business writing, announcements, and polite speech rather than casual conversation