An introduction to Japanese - Syntax, Grammar & Language

284 CHAPTER 6. LANGUAGE PATTERNS

• Possibility of

You can, of course, also be more literal when talking about the possibility

of something, by using the actual noun for ”possibility”,
(often also
used to mean an available ’option’). Usually this is paired with the verb
, to indicate that the speaker believes there is the possibility of something,
in a way that is more literal than using.

”Now, this thing might self-detonate, so be careful.”

Of course, can also be used with negative statements, usually

involving :

”There’s not even the possibility of failing.”

,

• Surely, certainly

When a speaker is positively certain of something, then there are two ad-

verbs of choice that tend to be used: , and. The first translates

to ”surely”, and the second translates to ”necessarily” or, more in keeping

with the negative it really is, ”without fail”. The difference between the

two, even though both indicate a strong confidence, is that is asso-

ciated with a positive wishing aĴitude, while the second is more a strong

positive conviction:

I am sure they’ll show up!

They’re certain to show up.

In the first sentence, the speaker can either be confident, or can be

hoping strongly for the outcome they are talking about, even if there’s the

possibility that this will not be the case. In the second sentence, however,

the speaker is highly confident in the outcome.