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Grammar JLPT Level N3 - Lesson 13

Structure of 訳(わけ)ではない:

Verb + わけではない(1)
[い]Adjective + わけではない(1)
[な]Adjective + + わけではない(1)
Noun + (2) + わけではない(1)

(1)わけじゃない
(2) である

Details about 訳(わけ)ではない:

As mentioned in the (わけ)だ grammar point, わけ is a noun that is used for strong determination/conclusion in Japanese, in the same way that 'so' is in English. Naturally, this determination may sometimes be negative, as is the case with わけではない. ではない being the conjugated form of the auxiliary verb , the adverbial particle は, and the い-Adjective ない.
わけではない may be translated as 'it doesn't mean that (A)', or 'it's not the case that (A)'. Although, 'it is not necessarily so that it's (A)', or 'so it's not (A)' are closer to the actual nuance of わけ. わけではない can be used at the end of any sentence, so long as the word before わけ is in attributive form.
  • 日本(にほん)()でいるから日本語(にほんご)(はな)せるわけではないです(わたし)日本(にほん)()(まえ)日本語(にほんご)勉強(べんきょう)していました。
    It is not the case that I am able to speak Japanese because I live in Japan. I studied Japanese before I came.
  • (わたし)(いえ)(ひろ)わけではないけど(ちい)さくもない。
    It is not necessarily that my house is big, but it is not small either.
  • 仕事(しごと)大変(たいへん)なわけではない(いそが)しいだけ
    It's not that my job is difficult, it's just busy.
  • (ねつ)のわけではないけど(からだ)だるい。
    It's not necessarily that I have a fever, but my body feels heavy.
As always, では may be replaced by じゃ.
  • あの監督(かんとく)有名(ゆうめい)だけど映画(えいが)監督(かんとく)して有名(ゆうめい)になったわけじゃない
    That director is famous, but he did not become popular because he directed a movie.
  • あなた(わる)かったって()っているわけじゃない
    It's not that I am saying that you were in the wrong. (I am not strictly saying that you were in the wrong)
訳(わけ)ではない

Usage Notes for 訳(わけ)ではない:

Synonyms for 訳(わけ)ではない:

というものでもない
There is no guarantee that…, Not necessarily
はずがない
Hardly possible, Cannot be, Highly unlikely, Improbable
というわけではない
It is not that, It doesn't mean that, It is not always the case
わけがない
There is no way, There is no reason, It is impossible, Cannot be
とは限らない
Not necessarily so, Is not always true, There is no guarantee that

Example of 訳(わけ)ではない

A:「北海道(ほっかいどう)といえば、Cさんによれば一年中(いちねんじゅう)(さむ)らしい。」
B:「(なつ)でも(さむ)わけではない。」

A: 'Speaking of Hokkaido, according to C it is cold there all year long.'
B: 'It doesn't mean it is cold even in summer.'

A:「Cさん日本(にっぽん)十年(じゅうねん)以上(いじょう)()んでる。日本語(にほんご)上手(じょうず)だろうね。」
B:「日本(にっぽん)(なが)(あいだ)()でも日本語(にほんご)(はな)せるわけではない。」

A: 'C has been living in Japan for over ten years. His Japanese is probably amazing, right?'
B: 'Even if he has lived in Japan for a long time it doesn't mean he can speak Japanese.'

A:「天気(てんき)予報(よほう)によると明日(あした)()れるだろう。」
B:「(あめ)()らないわけではない。」

A: 'The weather forecast calls for clear skies tomorrow.'
B: 'It doesn't mean it won't rain.'

A:「また試合(しあい)()けたもう我慢(がまん)できない!()いちゃいたい!」
B:「いつもうまくいくわけではない失敗(しっぱい)はつきものだ。」

A: 'I lost a match again! I can't stand it anymore! I want to cry!'
B: 'It is not the case that things will always turn out well. Failures are an unavoidable part of life.'

A:「あなたデート(わす)れたわ!(わたし)(はら)()っているから(はな)しかけないで!」
B:「(おそ)なってしまいましたが、(わす)れていたわけではありません。」

A: 'You forgot about our date! I am angry, so don't speak to me!'
B: 'I may have been late, but that doesn't mean that I forgot.'

Grammar same lesson

訳(わけ)だ

For that reason, No wonder, As you'd expect, Naturally, Thus, This is why
See detailsreport

関係(かんけい)がある

(Not) involved with, (Not) concerned with, (No) connection with, (No) relationship with, (Not) related to
See detailsreport

余(あま)りに

So much...that, (Way) too...
See detailsreport

ところだった ①

Almost, Nearly, About to, On the verge of
See detailsreport

くらい ②

To the extent that, So…that, About the only thing that...
See detailsreport
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