でもない · i-adjective
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | でもない | でもなくない |
| Polite | でもないです | でもなくないですalso でもなくありません |
| Past polite | でもなかったです | でもなくなかったですalso でもなくありませんでした |
| Past | でもなかった | でもなくなかった |
| Te-form | でもなくて | でもなくなくて |
| Adverbial | でもなく | |
| Conditional | でもなければ | でもなくなければ |
| Tara conditional | でもなかったら | でもなくなかったら |
is not ... either; is neither ... nor ...; is not even ...
Used after a noun or noun-like phrase as Xでもない. It can deny an alternative, form a 'neither X nor Y' pattern, or add the nuance 'not even X.'
He is neither a doctor nor a lawyer.
does not ... either; neither does ... nor ...; does not even ...
Used after a verb, often in forms such as Vでもない, Vでもなく, or Vでもなかった. It denies the action as an option or expected action, sometimes with a 'not even' nuance.
This is neither a luxury item nor cheap junk.
He explained it pompously even though he is not even an expert.
He did not even apologize; he started making excuses.
He neither says he will participate nor refuses, so his attitude is unclear.
でもある is the affirmative counterpart meaning 'is also/even,' while でもない is the negative form meaning 'is not either/not even.'
Formed from the particle expression でも plus the negative adjective ない. The kanji 無い reflects the meaning of ない, but the expression is normally written in kana.