Decoded Slug: ～なくはない (〜naku wa nai)
Japanese JLPT Grammar Point
～なくはない (〜naku wa nai)
～なくはない (〜naku wa nai)
Short explanation:
Used to express the idea that 'it's not that it's not', implying something is possible but not certain.
Formation:
Verb-ないform + なくはない, い-Adjective－い ＋ くはない, な-Adjective + ではなくはない, Noun + ではなくはない
Examples:
それを終えるのは難しくなくはない。
Sore wo oeru no wa muzukashikunaku wa nai.
It's not that it's impossible to finish it.
彼に話すのは怖くなくはない。
Kare ni hanasu no wa kowakunaku wa nai.
I could talk to him, but I'm a bit scared.
映画を見に行く時間がなくはない。
Eiga wo mini iku jikan ga naku wa nai.
It's not that I don't have time to go see a movie.
日本語で講演するのは難しくなくはない。
Nihongo de kouen suru no wa muzukashikunaku wa nai.
It's not impossible to give a lecture in Japanese, but it's difficult.
Long explanation:
The ～なくはない grammar point is used to express the idea that something is possible, but it is not certain or it is not the speaker's first choice. The formation uses 'ない' form of verb or adjective, followed by なくはない. It translates to expressions in English like 'It's not that it's impossible' or 'I could, but'.
