Couldn't even if one wanted to: 〜ようにも〜ない
Verb (volitional) + にも + same verb in the negative potential
Volitional + にも + same verb in the negative potential: “however much I'd like to, it's impossible”, because of a concrete obstacle (起きようにも起きられない).
In short
〜ようにも〜ない expresses frustration: you want to do something, you'd gladly try, but an outside circumstance makes it impossible. 熱があって、起きようにも起きられない (I've got a fever: even if I wanted to get up, I couldn't). The same verb appears twice: first in the volitional followed by にも, then in the negative potential. The cause is usually given at the start of the sentence. Neutral to written register.
- 熱があって、起きようにも起きられない。ねつがあって、おきようにもおきられない。I've got a fever: I couldn't get up even if I wanted to.
- 電話番号がわからないので、連絡しようにもできない。でんわばんごうがわからないので、れんらくしようにもできない。I don't have their number, so even if I wanted to contact them, I couldn't.
- 大雪で電車が止まり、帰ろうにも帰れない。おおゆきででんしゃがとまり、かえろうにもかえれない。The trains have stopped because of the snow: I couldn't get home even if I wanted to.
The basics
The volitional (起きよう, “let's get up, I'll get up”) expresses intention. にも adds “even”: “even intending to get up”. Then the negative potential slams the door: “I can't”. All together: “however much I might want to, it's impossible”.
The obstacle comes from outside or from the body (fever, snow, a breakdown, lack of money), never from a lack of will.
I've got a fever: I couldn't get up even if I wanted to.
- other
- verb
- particle
- grammatical form
- お金がなくて、引っ越そうにも引っ越せない。おかねがなくて、ひっこそうにもひっこせない。I don't have the money: I'd like to move, but it's impossible.
- 周りがうるさくて、眠ろうにも眠れなかった。まわりがうるさくて、ねむろうにもねむれなかった。It was so noisy around me that I couldn't sleep, however hard I tried.
How to form it
Volitional of the verb + にも, then the same verb in the negative potential. The only exception: する becomes できない in the second half (連絡しようにもできない), since できる is the potential of する.
| Verb | Volitional + にも | Negative potential |
|---|---|---|
| 行く | 行こうにも | 行けない |
| 言う | 言おうにも | 言えない |
| 食べる | 食べようにも | 食べられない |
| 来る | 来ようにも | 来られない |
| する | しようにも | できない |
- 歯が痛くて、食べようにも食べられない。はがいたくて、たべようにもたべられない。My teeth hurt: I'd like to eat, but I can't.
- 鍵をなくしたので、家に入ろうにも入れない。かぎをなくしたので、いえにはいろうにもはいれない。I've lost my keys, so I can't get into my house.
ようにも〜ない, ようがない, たくても〜ない
〜ようがない (N3) says there's no way at all: 連絡のしようがない. It states an impossibility, without stressing the desire. 〜たくても〜ない (行きたくても行けない) expresses the same frustration as ようにも, more simply and more colloquially. 〜ようにも〜ない stresses the effort you'd willingly make and the concrete obstacle.
| Form | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ようにも〜ない | you'd try, but an obstacle prevents it | 帰ろうにも帰れない |
| 〜ようがない | no way exists | 連絡のしようがない |
| 〜たくても〜ない | you'd like to, but can't (spoken, simple) | 帰りたくても帰れない |
- 住所も電話番号もわからないので、連絡のしようがない。じゅうしょもでんわばんごうもわからないので、れんらくのしようがない。I have neither their address nor their number: there's no way to contact them.
- 仕事が忙しくて、休みたくても休めない。しごとがいそがしくて、やすみたくてもやすめない。I'm so busy at work that I can't take time off, even though I'd like to.
Common mistakes
- Changing verbs between the two halves: ×行こうにも来られない. It's the same verb (only する becomes できない).
- Forgetting the potential: ×起きようにも起きない. You need 起きられない.
- Using it when you simply don't feel like it: the cause has to be an outside obstacle.
8 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N2 point is on the Kamiiida Line (Health and the body) of the Nagoya lines.