～わけにはいかない
cannot (for social reasons)
～わけにはいかない says that something cannot be done, not because it is physically impossible, but because duty, conscience, or circumstances won't allow it. It attaches to the dictionary form of a verb and corresponds to English “can't very well do X” or “can't afford to do X”.
This is the crucial contrast with the potential form or できない: 泳げない means you lack the ability to swim, while 泳ぐわけにはいかない means you could swim, but the situation makes it unacceptable.
1. Can't do it (social or moral constraint)
Use dictionary form + わけにはいかない when an option is off the table because of the circumstances.
今さらやめるわけにはいかない。
“I can't very well quit now.”
- 今さら（いまさら）= at this late stage, after all this time
- やめる = to quit
- わけにはいかない = can't very well (do), it's not an option
2. Can't not do it: ～ないわけにはいかない
With the ない-form, the logic flips into a double negative: “not doing it is not an option”, in other words, “I simply have to”. It is close to ～なければならない in meaning, but stresses that circumstances leave you no choice.
大事な試験があるから、勉強しないわけにはいかない。
“There's an important exam, so I can't get away with not studying.”
- 大事な（だいじな）= important
- 試験（しけん）= exam
- が = subject marker
- ある = there is
- から = because, so
- 勉強しない（べんきょうしない）= not study (negative of 勉強する, to study)
- わけにはいかない = is not an option
How to form it
Verb dictionary form + わけにはいかない (can't do) / Verb ない-form + わけにはいかない (have no choice but to do)
- やめる = to quit → やめるわけにはいかない = can't very well quit
- 休む（やすむ）= to rest, take a day off → 休むわけにはいかない（やすむわけにはいかない）= can't afford to take the day off
- 行く（いく）= to go → 行かないわけにはいかない（いかないわけにはいかない）= can't get out of going
Key idea
～わけにはいかない is about circumstances, not ability: you could do it, but obligation, loyalty, or the situation makes it something you can't reasonably do.
Built on the same stem
Updated .