ない事はない
Is not impossible, It doesn't mean that it isn't
Structure
［い］Adjective［ない］+ ことはない(1)
［な］Adjective + ではない(2) + ことはない(1)
(1) こともない
(2) じゃない
Explanation
ないことはない is a grammatical structure formed using the negative ない, which can function as either an auxiliary verb or an い-Adjective. As a double negative, its literal meaning is close to 'it is not the case that (A) does not exist'. More naturally, it is translated as 'it's not that (A) isn't...', or 'it's not impossible for (A) to be...'.
This pattern can be attached to the ない form of verbs, い-Adjectives, and な-Adjectives. Let's examine some sentences to better understand its usage.
- 料理はしないことはないが、あまり得意じゃない。It's not that I don't cook, but I'm not very good at it.
- この問題は難しくないことはないから、時間がかかるだろう。It's not that this problem isn't difficult, so it will probably take some time.
- この町は静かではないことはないけど、夜はバイクの音がうるさいんだ。It doesn't mean this town isn't quiet, but at night the sound of motorcycles is loud.
The phrase ことはない on its own is used to state that something is unnecessary or that an event does not occur. The adverbial particle は adds a sense of finality, giving ことはない the meaning 'there is no such thing as (A)'. When ない is added to the word preceding this structure, ないことはない simply negates this idea. This creates a double negative, 'it is -not- the case that there is no (A)', which confirms that (A) is indeed a possibility.
Fun Fact
You will frequently see ないことはない used with verbs in their potential form. This combination often conveys a sense of reluctance or a lack of enthusiasm for doing something. The nuance is very similar to the English phrase, 'it's not like I can't (A)'.
- 泳げないことはないけど、海で泳ぐのはちょっと怖い。It's not that I can't swim, but I'm a little scared of swimming in the ocean.
- 直せないことはないけど、新しいのを買った方が早いかもしれない。It's not that I can't fix it, but it might be faster to just buy a new one.
Examples
田中：「このカレー、辛そうだけど食べられる？」
佐藤：「食べられない事はないけど、水をたくさん飲むと思うよ。」
Tanaka: 'This curry looks spicy. Can you eat it?'
Sato: 'It's not that I can't eat it, but I think I'll be drinking a lot of water.'
母：「このサラダ、体にいいのよ。美味しい？」
子：「美味しくない事はないけど、もっと味の濃いものが好きだな。」
Mother: 'This salad is good for you. Is it tasty?'
Child: 'It's not that it isn't delicious, I just prefer something with a stronger flavor.'
先生：「この文法の説明、分かりましたか？」
生徒：「分からない事はないですが、もう一度お願いできますか。」
Teacher: 'Did you understand the explanation for this grammar point?'
Student: 'It's not that I don't understand, but could you please explain it one more time?'
鈴木：「今夜のパーティーに来られる？」
高橋：「行けない事はないんだけど、仕事で少し遅れるかもしれない。」
Suzuki: 'Can you come to the party tonight?'
Takahashi: 'It's not that I can't go, but I might be a little late because of work.'
Ａ：「この時計、すごくいいね！買っちゃえば？」
Ｂ：「買えない事はないけど、今月は節約しないと…」
A: 'This watch is great! Why don't you buy it?'
B: 'It's not that I can't afford it, but I really need to save money this month…'
伊藤：「この荷物、運ぶのを手伝ってくれない？」
渡辺：「手伝わない事はないけど、今ちょっと手が離せないんだ。」
Ito: 'Can you help me carry this luggage?'
Watanabe: 'It's not that I won't help you, but my hands are full right at this moment.'
Ａ：「この古い小説、読める？」
Ｂ：「漢字が難しいけど、読めない事はないよ。」
A: 'Can you read this old novel?'
B: 'The kanji are difficult, but it's not like I can't read it.'
加藤：「きのう見た映画、どうだった？」
中村：「面白くない事はないけど、３時間はちょっと長すぎたかな。」
Kato: 'How was the movie you saw yesterday?'
Nakamura: 'It wasn't that it wasn't interesting, but three hours was just a bit too long.'
A：「このケーキ、作ってみない？」
B：「作れない事はないけど、特別な材料がいくつか必要だね。」
A: 'Why don't we try making this cake?'
B: 'It's not that we can't make it, but we'd need some special ingredients.'
山本：「このパソコン、もう壊れたみたい…」
小林：「直せない事はないと思うけど、新しいのを買った方が安いかも。」
Yamamoto: 'I think this computer is broken for good…'
Kobayashi: 'I don't think it's impossible to fix, but it might be cheaper to just buy a new one.'
Ａ：「今週、どこかで会えない？」
Ｂ：「会いたくない事はないんだけど、今週は本当に忙しいんだ。」
A: 'Can we meet somewhere this week?'
B: 'It's not that I don't want to see you, but this week is just really hectic for me.'
Ａ：「この修理代、５万円もするのか…」
Ｂ：「払えない事はないですが、ちょっと痛い出費ですね。」
A: 'The repair fee is 50,000 yen?!'
B: 'It's not that I can't pay it, but it's a bit of a painful expense.'