〜べくもない

Cannot Possibly

Level 4Sounds Like bekumonai

The pattern 〜べくもない is a highly formal, literary expression used to state that something is absolutely impossible given the current circumstances. It is often used with verbs of cognition (knowing, imagining) or comparison.

How It Works

1. Meaning and Nuance
〜べくもない expresses a strong, objective denial. It implies that even if one wanted to do something, the situation makes it utterly unthinkable or out of the question. It carries a tone of 'there is no way to even consider it.'

2. Formation

  • Verb (Dictionary Form) + べくもない
  • Example: 疑う（うたがう）+ べくもない → 疑うべくもない (Beyond doubt)
  • Exception (する): Both するべくもない and the classical すべくもない are acceptable.

3. Usage Context
This is a literary (文章語) pattern. You will encounter it in formal speeches, academic papers, high-level journalism, and literature. It is almost never used in daily conversation. Using it casually would sound overly dramatic or archaic.

4. Common Verbs
It is frequently paired with specific verbs:

  • 比べる（くらべる）べくもない: Beyond comparison
  • 疑う（うたがう）べくもない: Beyond doubt
  • 望む（のぞむ）べくもない: No hope of / Out of the question
  • 知る（しる）べくもない: No way of knowing

Examples (4)

  1. 彼の才能は、私のような凡人とは比べるべくもない。

    His talent is beyond comparison with an ordinary person like me.

    Word by Word: His talent, with an ordinary person like me, comparison-to-do-even-not-exist.

    Here, it emphasizes that the gap in talent is so large that the act of comparing them is impossible.

  2. この不景気では、大幅な給料アップなど望むべくもない。

    In this recession, a significant pay raise is simply out of the question.

    Word by Word: In this bad economy, a large salary increase etc. to hope for even not exist.

    The speaker uses this to show that the economic situation makes the hope for a raise completely unrealistic.

  3. 当時の私には、その後の悲劇など知るべくもなかった。

    At that time, I had no way of knowing the tragedy that would follow.

    Word by Word: To the me of that time, the tragedy of after that etc. to know even did not exist.

    Commonly used in storytelling to indicate that a character could not possibly have foreseen future events.

  4. 彼が犯人であることは、証拠から見て疑うべくもない事実だ。

    That he is the culprit is a fact beyond any doubt, given the evidence.

    Word by Word: That he is the culprit, looking from evidence, to doubt even not exist fact is.

    Used here to state that the evidence is so strong that doubting is not an option.

Common Mistakes

  • Using it for personal lack of ability in casual speech.

    私は英語を話すべくもない。
    私は英語が話せません。

    〜べくもない is for situational impossibility, not for saying 'I can't do something' because you haven't learned it. Also, it is too formal for daily talk.

  • Confusing it with 'should not' (〜べきではない).

    嘘をつくべくもない。
    嘘をつくべきではない。

    While both come from 'beshi,' 〜べきではない means 'should not' (moral obligation), whereas 〜べくもない means 'cannot possibly' (impossibility).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

〜べくもないLevel 4Cannot Possibly

Learn This First

〜べくもない is a formal expression meaning 'cannot possibly' or 'there is no way to'. It is formed by taking the classical/formal form of べき (which is べく), adding the emphatic particle も, and the negative ない. To understand this, you need to be familiar with the concept of べき (should/ought) and how particles like も can be used to strengthen a negative statement.

Words in This Pattern

べくもない