～かねる

How to form it

• Verb (ます-stem) + かねる / かねます

Register: Formal; business and service

Explanation

A polite way of saying that you cannot do something, usually because of rules, position or reluctance.

Frequently used by staff declining a request. It sounds firmer and more polite than できない.

Examples

1. 申し訳ありませんが、その件はお答えしかねます。

   もうしわけありませんが、そのけんはおこたえしかねます。

   I'm sorry, but I'm unable to answer that matter.

2. その意見には賛成しかねる。

   そのいけんにはさんせいしかねる。

   I find it hard to agree with that opinion.

3. 私の一存では決めかねます。

   わたしのいちぞんではきめかねます。

   I can't decide this on my own authority.

Compare with

• ～かねない: かねない means 'might well (bad outcome)'; かねる means 'cannot'. They look alike but mean very different things.
• ～ようがない: ようがない means no means exist; かねる implies a polite refusal.

Common mistakes

• Mixing it up with かねない. It is the negative form of かねる in shape, but it means 'might well', not 'can'.