JLPT N1 Cannot, without, and bad outcomes

まるっきり (marukkiri): completely; absolutely; totally; (not) at all

Use まるっきり when you want to deny something completely, with zero exception. It always pairs with a negative predicate — a verb, adjective, or noun in the negative form. The core message is “nothing at all” or “absolutely not.

彼の言っていることは、まるっきり理解できない。 — I can’t understand what he’s saying at all.

でも何でもない / くも何ともない (demo nan demo nai / kumo nan tomo nai): not in the least; nothing like that

Use でも何でもない (with nouns and na‑adjectives) or くも何ともない (with i‑adjectives) when you want to say that something is absolutely not the case, not even slightly. It's a categorical rejection.

彼の話は真実でも何でもない。 — His story is not the truth in the slightest.

やしない (ya shinai): should do, but don't; absolutely not; there's no way

Use やしない when you want to express that something is not done or doesn't happen despite expectations.

彼はどうせ来やしないよ。 — He won't come anyway; no way he'll come.

どうにも～ない (dou nimo ~ nai): not … by any means; no matter how hard one tries, cannot

Use どうにも～ない when you want to say that something absolutely cannot be done, changed, or controlled — no matter what you try.

もう手が出せなくて、どうにもならないと思った。 — I couldn’t do anything more — I felt there was just no way out.

てもどうにもならない (temo dou ni mo naranai): it's no use; can't do anything

Use てもどうにもならない when you want to say that a situation is beyond your control — that even if you do something, it will make no difference. The core is absolute futility: there is no way to change the result.

今さら泣いてもどうにもならない。 — It's no use crying over spilt milk.

ようにも～ない (you nimo ~ nai): even if I wanted to… I couldn’t

Use ようにも～ない when you want to say that an action is impossible regardless of your willingness or intention. The speaker imagines making the attempt, then immediately hits an obstacle that makes it unfeasible.

行こうにも行けない。 — Even if I wanted to go, I can’t.

術がない (sube ga nai): there is no way / means; cannot do

Use 術がない when you want to say that there is absolutely no way, means, or method to do something. It signals a complete absence of avenues for action — a situation where capability itself is zero.

もう逃げる術もなかった。 — There was no longer any way to escape.

べくもない (beku mo nai): cannot possibly be

Use べくもない when you want to say that a certain result or action is entirely unattainable — not because of a specific prohibition, but because reality makes it impossible. The pattern carries a sense of *should be possible, yet isn’t*.

彼の真意など、知るべくもない。 — There's no way to know what his real intentions were.

ためしがない (tameshi ga nai): is never the case; has never happened; I have never seen or heard of

Use ためしがない when you want to declare that you have never experienced, seen, or heard of something happening. It conveys the meaning “there is no precedent” or “never have I known that to be the case”.

彼が約束を守ったためしがない。 — He has never kept a promise. (lit. There is no precedent of him keeping a promise.)

なしに / なしで (nashi ni / nashi de): without; without doing

Use なしに / なしで when you want to say that an action happens without the usual condition, item, or preliminary step.

許可なしに入ってはいけません。 — You must not enter without permission.

ことなしに (koto nashi ni): without doing something

Use ことなしに when you want to say that without doing A, B cannot happen or it is impossible to B unless A is done. The pattern strongly implies a necessary condition.

努力することなしに成功はありえない。 — Success is impossible without effort.

もしないで (mo shinai de): without even doing

Use もしないで when you want to say that something was left undone *entirely*, implying that even a minimal effort was not made. It emphasizes the complete lack of action.

食べもしないで、仕事に行った。 — He went to work without even eating.

ともなく / ともなしに (tomo naku / tomo nashi ni): somehow; without knowing; without thinking; unconsciously

Use ともなく / ともなしに when you want to express that an action is performed without clear intention, or that something is perceived without focused awareness. It can also combine with question words to indicate an ambiguous or unknown source.

見るともなく窓の外を眺めていたら、虹が見えた。 — As I was gazing out the window without really intending to look, I saw a rainbow.

そびれる (sobireru): to miss a chance; to fail to do

Use そびれる when you want to express that you missed a chance to do something and the action never happened — usually through your own hesitation, bad timing, or distraction.

損なう / 損ねる / 損じる (sokonau / sokoneru / sonjiru): to do something wrong; by mistake; to miss a chance; to fail to

Use 損なう / 損ねる / 損じる when the outcome of an action is botched, missed, or simply fails to happen in the intended way.

漢字を書き損なった。 — I wrote the kanji wrong.

羽目になる (hame ni naru): to get stuck with; to end up with (something unpleasant)

Use 羽目になる when you want to express that you end up stuck with an unpleasant task, role, or situation — something burdensome that you didn’t want but came to you anyway.

彼氏と別れて、一人で引っ越す羽目になった — After breaking up with my boyfriend, I ended up having to move by myself.

始末だ (shimatsu da): end up; in the end; as a result (negative)

Use 始末だ when you want to express that a series of events led to a final, undesirable result — especially one that seems shameful, pathetic, or beyond what a reasonable person would expect.

彼は仕事をサボって、とうとうクビになる始末だ。 — He kept slacking off at work, and it got so bad that he ended up getting fired.

ずじまい (zu jimai): ended up not doing

Use ずじまい when you want to express that an action you intended to do or felt you should do was left undone. It always carries a sense of regret or missed opportunity.

彼に謝ろうと思っていたのに、結局言わずじまいだった。 — I intended to apologize to him, but in the end I never said it.