JLPT N2Formal, politeRefusing

かねるcannot (a polite refusal)

A polite, formal "cannot". As かねます it is how staff and companies turn you down, and the answer is still no. It is also for a mind that can't settle on something: 決きめかねる, "can't decide".

ご要よう望ぼうにはお応こたえしかねます。

We are unable to accommodate your request.

どちらにするか、まだ決きめかねています。

I still can't decide which one to go with.

How to form it

Verb ます-stem + かねる

決きめます → 決きめかねる, 賛さん成せいします → 賛さん成せいしかねる. To customers it comes in humble language: お応こたえしかねます, いたしかねます. できません becomes できかねます.

Before it: Mostly verbs of answering, accepting, agreeing, deciding and knowing: 答こたえる, 応おうじる, 引ひき受うける, 賛さん成せいする, 決きめる, 分わかる.
Said about: Mostly yourself or your own side: the shop, the company, the office.
Where you'll meet it: Shops, call centers, business email, official replies. Hardly ever between friends.

かねる and かねない

In form かねない is the negative of かねる ("not unable to"), but they are used as two separate expressions: かねる is "cannot", and かねない is "might well".

かねないN2

"Might well": your own warning that what is happening or being done could lead to something bad. Not usually for something you hope for.

スピードの出だしすぎは、大おおきな事じ故こにつながりかねない。

Speeding could well lead to a serious accident.

In use

本ほん人にんの同どう意いがないため、詳しょう細さいはお伝つたえしかねます。

Without the person's consent, we are unable to provide the details.

セール品ひんの返へん品ぴん・交こう換かんはお受うけいたしかねます。

We are unable to accept returns or exchanges of sale items.

What shop notices say. Also お受うけできかねます.

申もうし訳わけございませんが、こちらでは分わかりかねます。

I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid we don't know that here.

The service counter's "I don't know".

Can't decide, can't agree

Away from the counter it is often in the plain form.

証しょう拠こが限かぎられている以い上じょう、その説せつ明めいが誤あやまりだとは断だん定ていしかねる。

With the evidence this limited, I cannot say for certain that the explanation is wrong.

その意い見けんには賛さん成せいしかねます。

I can't agree with that view.

新しん人じんが困こまっているのを見みるに見みかねて、手て伝つだった。

I couldn't just stand by and watch the new hire struggle, so I helped.

A set phrase: you can't bear to just look on.

Not for a lack of skill

What stops you is your position, the rules or your own mind. Skill and strength are the potential form.

Not said: 私わたしはピアノが弾ひきかねます。

(I can't play the piano.)

弾ひけません.

Close neighbours

わけにはいかないN3

"I can't very well…": duty, manners or your position stop you. Everyday speech, where かねる belongs to formal replies.

部ぶ下かがまだ作さ業ぎょうしているのに、私わたしだけ帰かえるわけにはいかない。

My staff are still working, so I can't very well be the only one to go home.

がたいN2

"Hard to", because the mind or conscience resists: a verdict on the thing, not a refusal.

これほど精せい密みつな模も型けいを一人ひとりで作つくったとは信しんじがたい。

It is hard to believe that one person made such a precise model.

Check yourself

1A call-center operator says this. What does it mean?

その質しつ問もんにはお答こたえしかねます。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

私わたしは泳およぎが苦にが手てで、二に十じゅう五ごメートルも（　　）。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

当とう社しゃでは、その条じょう件けんでのご依い頼らいはお引ひき受うけしかねます。

Our company is unable to accept the request under those terms.

規き定てい上じょう、期き限げんを過すぎた申しん請せいは受じゅ理りしかねます。

Under the rules, we are unable to accept applications submitted after the deadline.

この件けんについては、私わたしの立たち場ばからはコメントしかねます。

Given my position, I am unable to comment on this matter.

資し料りょうが不ふ足そくしており、現げん段だん階かいでは結けつ論ろんを出だしかねます。

The available material is insufficient, so we cannot reach a conclusion at this stage.

個こ人じん情じょう報ほうについての質しつ問もんには回かい答とうしかねます。

We are unable to answer questions about personal information.