Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 6: 10/17

ないでもないKind of, Might, Slightly, It’s not (impossible) that, Somewhat, In some respects

Structure

Verb［ない］+ （もの）+ でも(1) + ない

(1)では

Details

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About ないでもない

ないでもない, and なくもない are structures that have the literal meaning of 'to not not be (A)', and are used to express that something is 'a little (A)', or 'kinda (A)'. These structures are used primarily when the speaker can neither confirm or deny (A), but may also be used simply when not wanting to directly disagree with something that another person has said.

Both ないでもない and なくもない may be used after either the negated form of verbs, or nouns followed by the case marking particle が.

ないでもない and なくもない are completely interchangeable, with the primary difference simply being that なくもない is less frequently used. Additionally, ないものでもない may also be seen, but just like なくもない, it is far less common.

Examples

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    先輩(せんぱい)「あの雲(くも)を見(み)ろよ。シマウマみたいに見(み)えるぞ。」
    後輩(こうはい)「まあシマウマに見(み)えないでもないですね。」

    Senpai: 'Look at that cloud! It looks like a zebra.'
    Kouhai: 'Well, it kind of looks like a zebra.'

    友達(ともだち)との話(はなし)：ちよ「猫(ねこ)が好(す)きじゃないの？かわいくない？」
    さかき「猫(ねこ)はかわいいと思(おも)わないでもないけど、噛(か)むしひっかくしできるだけ避(さ)けるよ。」

    Chat between friends, Chiyo: 'Don't you like cats? Aren't they cute?'
    Sakaki: 'I think that they are kind of cute, but they bite and scratch so I try to avoid them as much as possible.'

    友人(ゆうじん)に文句(もんく)を言(い)う：「最近(さいきん)、両親(りょうしん)はうちの子犬(こいぬ)に夢中(むちゅう)だよ。まあその気持(きも)ちはわからないでもないけど。とても可愛(かわい)らしいから。」

    Complaining to a friend: 'Recently, my parents are all about our puppy! I kind of understand them though. It's pretty adorable.'

    「なんとなく彼(かれ)が言(い)った話(はなし)には欠陥(けっかん)や問題(もんだい)がたくさんあるような気(き)がしないでもないが、いってくれないよりマシだ。」

    'I kind of feel that there are many gaps and problems in his story, but it is better than nothing.'

    ペトルーチオ「ケイトは顔(かお)だけ見(み)ると、とても美(うつく)しいと感(かん)じられないでもないんだけど・・・性格(せいかく)が悪(わる)い。」

    Petruchio: 'When looking only at the face, Kate can seem kind of pretty, but her character is awful.'

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