Meaning & Usage
かねない expresses the possibility that something undesirable might actually happen. It carries a warning nuance — the speaker is signaling that a negative outcome is not merely hypothetical, but genuinely plausible given current circumstances. That alone sets it apart from neutral possibility expressions like かもしれない and gives it a sharp sense of concern.
The form comes from the verb かねる, which means "to find something difficult to do." Negate it as かねない, and the literal reading is "cannot find it difficult to do" — meaning the action is entirely possible, especially when conditions turn unfavorable. Japanese double-negatives often yield affirmative meanings, and this one does — with an unmistakably ominous edge.
かねない translates naturally as "could well happen," "might actually do," or "there's a real risk that" in English. The critical constraint: it is reserved almost exclusively for negative, dangerous, or socially problematic outcomes. Winning the lottery or receiving a compliment does not qualify — かねない belongs to the world of warnings, risks, and regrettable scenarios.
かねない turns up frequently in formal written Japanese — news articles, business reports, academic papers, and official announcements — and in cautionary spoken conversation as well. It lends a measured, serious tone that makes the speaker sound responsible rather than alarmist. Getting comfortable with it is key to reading formal Japanese texts and expressing nuanced warnings naturally.
When you see かねない, picture a warning flag going up. The speaker is not idly guessing — they are signaling that current conditions, behavior, or trends are pointing toward a bad outcome. The unspoken message is usually: something needs to change before this happens.
Structure & Formation
The formation of かねない is straightforward but must be applied correctly. It attaches to the ます-stem (also called the conjunctive form or masu-stem) of a verb — that is, the verb form obtained by removing ます from the polite present tense.
| Verb (Dictionary Form) | ます Form | ます-Stem | + かねない |
|---|---|---|---|
| 成る (to become) | 成ります | 成り | 成りかねない |
| 起こる (to occur) | 起こります | 起こり | 起こりかねない |
| 招く (to invite/cause) | 招きます | 招き | 招きかねない |
| 引き起こす (to trigger) | 引き起こします | 引き起こし | 引き起こしかねない |
| 壊す (to break/ruin) | 壊します | 壊し | 壊しかねない |
Note that かねない does not attach to nouns, い-adjectives, or な-adjectives directly. It is a verb-only construction. The sentence pattern often includes a conditional clause (～たら、～ば、～と) or a present-state description setting up the scenario, followed by the negative outcome expressed with かねない.
Common sentence frame: [Condition / Current situation] + [Negative Verb-stem] + かねない
Example Sentences
Expressing Risk in Daily Situations
このまま放置すれば、大きな問題になりかねない。
Kono mama houchi sureba, ooki na mondai ni nari kanenai.
If left unattended like this, it could well turn into a serious problem.
無理をし続けると、体を壊しかねない。
Muri wo shi tsuzukeru to, karada wo kowashi kanenai.
If you keep pushing yourself too hard, you might ruin your health.
気をつけないと、転びかねない道ですよ。
Ki wo tsukenai to, korobi kanenai michi desu yo.
This is a road where you might fall if you are not careful.
Warnings About Behavior and Speech
その発言は誤解を招きかねない。
Sono hatsugen wa gokai wo maneki kanenai.
That remark could possibly invite misunderstanding.
不用意な発言は相手を傷つけかねない。
Fuyoui na hatsugen wa aite wo kizutsuke kanenai.
A careless remark might end up hurting the other person.
彼はそんなことを言いかねない人だ。
Kare wa sonna koto wo ii kanenai hito da.
He is the type of person who might actually say something like that.
Risk of Accidents and Harm
あんな運転をしていると事故を起こしかねない。
Anna unten wo shite iru to, jiko wo okoshi kanenai.
Driving like that, you might well cause an accident.
この薬を過剰に摂取すると、健康に悪影響を与えかねない。
Kono kusuri wo kajou ni sesshu suru to, kenkou ni akueikyou wo atae kanenai.
Taking this medication in excess could possibly have an adverse effect on your health.
Business and Organizational Context
このプロジェクトが失敗すれば、会社に多大な損害を与えかねない。
Kono purojekuto ga shippai sureba, kaisha ni tadai na songai wo atae kanenai.
Should this project fail, it could well inflict enormous losses on the company.
規則を守らないと、トラブルになりかねない。
Kisoku wo mamoranai to, toraburu ni nari kanenai.
If the rules are not followed, trouble could arise.
そのような政策は経済に悪影響を与えかねない。
Sono you na seisaku wa keizai ni akueikyou wo atae kanenai.
Such a policy could potentially have a negative impact on the economy.
Character Judgments and Social Observations
彼女は約束を破りかねない。
Kanojo wa yakusoku wo yaburi kanenai.
She might actually break her promise.
子供だけに任せると失敗しかねない。
Kodomo dake ni makaseru to shippai shi kanenai.
If left entirely to the children, they might fail.
このまま放置すれば、状況は手に負えなくなりかねない。
Kono mama houchi sureba, joukyou wa te ni oenaku nari kanenai.
If the situation is left as is, it could become unmanageable.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using かねない for Positive or Neutral Outcomes
❌ 頑張れば、合格しかねない。
✅ 頑張れば、合格できるかもしれない。
かねない is reserved for negative or undesirable outcomes. Using it to describe something good like passing an exam sounds unnatural and even humorous in Japanese. For neutral or positive possibilities, use かもしれない instead.
Mistake 2: Attaching かねない to the Wrong Verb Form
❌ 事故を起こるかねない。
✅ 事故を起こしかねない。
かねない must attach to the ます-stem, not the dictionary form. This example has two problems: 起こる is intransitive ("an accident occurs on its own"), but the intended meaning requires 起こす — the transitive verb meaning "to cause an accident." The ます-stem of 起こす is 起こし, giving 起こしかねない. Always confirm whether the verb should be transitive or intransitive first, then extract the correct ます-stem.
Mistake 3: Confusing かねない with かねる
❌ 彼の要求はお受けかねない。(Intending: "I cannot accept his request.")
✅ 彼の要求はお受けかねます。
かねる / かねます is used to politely express inability or reluctance ("I find it difficult to do / I cannot do"). かねない means the opposite: "might do / could possibly happen." These two forms are easily confused because they look similar but carry opposite meanings. Use かねます for polite refusals and かねない for warnings about negative possibilities.
Mistake 4: Omitting the Causal or Conditional Context
❌ 事故を起こしかねない。(No context — why might it happen?)
✅ そんなスピードで運転すれば、事故を起こしかねない。
While grammatically possible, using かねない without a preceding condition or context often sounds abrupt or incomplete. Native speakers typically set up the scenario — using conditionals like ～すれば、～たら、～と or a descriptive clause — before delivering the warning with かねない.
Mistake 5: Overusing かねない Where かもしれない Is More Natural
❌ 明日は雨が降りかねない。
✅ 明日は雨が降るかもしれない。
Rain is a neutral natural phenomenon — not an undesirable risk in a social or behavioral sense. Using かねない here sounds unnatural because there is no causal agent acting irresponsibly. Reserve かねない for situations involving human actions, neglect, bad judgment, or systemic risks. Natural events and neutral guesses call for かもしれない.
Cultural Notes
Japanese communication places a high value on indirectness and anticipating consequences, and かねない serves a vital function within that culture. Rather than directly criticizing someone's behavior or issuing a blunt command, a Japanese speaker can use かねない to gently but firmly signal danger. A manager might say 「このまま進めば、クライアントとの関係が壊れかねない」 rather than directly saying "you are mishandling the client." The warning lands clearly — without direct confrontation.
News broadcasts, government announcements, and editorial opinion pieces make heavy use of かねない. You will often hear it on television when discussing environmental issues, political instability, or public health risks. That usage frames the discussion as serious and evidence-based. When journalists write that a policy 「経済を悪化させかねない」, they are taking a firm editorial stance while staying within the formal register appropriate to news language.
The expression also appears naturally in everyday cautionary advice between friends and family. A parent warning a child, a friend advising against a risky decision, a colleague flagging a problem in a meeting — all of these are natural homes for かねない. Its range across formal and informal contexts makes it one of the more versatile patterns at this level.
JLPT Tips
On the JLPT N2 exam, かねない is tested in both the grammar section and reading comprehension passages. In the grammar section, you may be asked to choose between similar-looking patterns. Knowing the difference between かねない (negative possibility warning) and かねる (polite inability/refusal) is essential — both frequently appear as answer choices in the same question.
Pay close attention to the semantic context of the sentence. JLPT answer choices will often include かもしれない and かねない as options for the same blank. The key test: is the outcome negative or undesirable? If yes, かねない is likely the correct choice. If the context is neutral or positive, かもしれない is safer.
In reading comprehension, かねない often appears in passages about social problems, environmental issues, or business risks. When you spot it, treat it as a warning signal from the author. That framing helps you answer questions about the writer's stance, a paragraph's main point, or the logical flow of the argument.
For the grammar formation question type, remember that かねない only attaches to the ます-stem. If a question presents you with a verb and asks how to attach かねない, always drop the ます and attach directly: 食べます → 食べかねない, 起こります → 起こりかねない. This is non-negotiable — any other attachment point is wrong.
A practical study tip to finish: collect real examples of かねない from Japanese news websites or editorial columns. Because this grammar appears frequently in formal written Japanese, reading authentic usage sharpens your intuition for when it fits and helps you recognize it quickly under exam conditions.