English–Japanese
“cannot possibly” in Japanese
Japanese
Pronunciation
Romajitōtei
Example
その話はとうてい信じられません。so no hanashi wa tō te i shin ji ra re ma se n
I cannot possibly believe that story.
How to say “cannot possibly” in Japanese
“Cannot possibly” in Japanese is とうてい (tōtei).
Places an action or conclusion completely outside the range of what the speaker can accept, believe, or accomplish.
Example sentences with とうてい
彼の説明はとうてい納得できません。kare no setsu mei wa tō te i nat toku de ki ma se n
I cannot possibly accept his explanation.
Tips for using とうてい
- The pattern 到底 (tōtei) plus a negative predicate is especially useful when a speaker discusses limits of belief, ability, or acceptability in a serious exchange.