日本語道場

Nihongo Dojo — N3 → N2

Grammar

N2

～ないものか

~nai mono ka

isn't there some way to

When to use it

Use ～ないものか to voice a strong, somewhat wistful wish that something could be done, when a solution isn't readily apparent — "isn't there some way to…?" In business writing and meetings it softens a request or complaint into a shared problem, and is common in reports and internal proposals as 何とか～ないものか. The variant ～ないものだろうか is a degree more formal and reflective, typical of written register.

Formation

  • Verbs: plain negative + ものか → 減らせないものか, 何とかならないものか. Overwhelmingly used with potential or 可能性のある forms (～できないものか, ～られないものか) or with いただけないものか for polite requests.
  • ～ないものだろうか / ～ないものでしょうか: softer, more deliberative; standard in written and formal spoken register.
  • Embedded use: ～ないものかと思う／考える／いう声がある is the normal way to report the wish in documents and minutes.
  • i-adjectives / na-adjectives / nouns: not used with this pattern. (Do not confuse with 〜ではないものか, which is a separate, rare construction; the plain 〜ものか of rhetorical refusal — 行くものか "as if I'd go" — is also distinct.)

Examples

  • Isn't there some way you could push the deadline back a little?

  • Isn't there somehow a way to keep costs down?

  • I've been wondering if we couldn't automate this checking work.

  • Many are asking whether we couldn't cut back on the regular meetings.

  • I sounded out the other side on whether we couldn't find some middle ground.