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JLPT N3 · Sentence patterns

ようがない (you ga nai)

～ようがない — “there’s no way to ～”

In short · Says that you have no means or method of doing something, even if you want to. It attaches to the masu-stem of a verb. Used when the cause is lack of information, tools or conditions, not lack of will.
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Pattern

  • 動詞ます形語幹＋ようがない there is no way to do ～ (e.g. 直しようがない)
  • 動詞ます形語幹＋ようもない same meaning, slightly emphatic

No method available

The word よう here means “way / method”. 知らせようがない = there is no way of letting them know. The cause is almost always stated before: 連絡先が分からないので.

Connection

Take the masu-form, remove ます: 知らせます → 知らせ + ようがない. For する-verbs, use the noun + のしようがない or しようがない (勉強のしようがない). The な-form is not used here.

Difference from できない

できない simply says “can’t”. ～ようがない says “even if I wanted to, I have no means.” It often expresses helplessness. 直しようがない sounds more final than 直せない.

Examples

  • 連絡先（れんらくさき）が分（わ）からないので、知（し）らせようがない。

    Renrakusaki ga wakaranai node, shirase you ga nai.

    I don’t know the contact info, so there’s no way to inform them.

  • 部品（ぶひん）がもう売（う）っていないので、直（なお）しようがない。

    Buhin ga mou utte inai node, naoshi you ga nai.

    The parts are no longer sold, so there’s no way to fix it.

  • 本人（ほんにん）が話（はな）してくれないと、助（たす）けようがない。

    Honnin ga hanashite kurenai to, tasuke you ga nai.

    If the person won’t talk, there’s no way to help them.

Common mistakes

  • Attach to the masu-stem (直しようがない), not the dictionary form (×直すようがない).
  • It is not for lack of will. For “I don’t want to”, use other expressions.

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