Japanese 兼ねる: combining roles and polite difficulty

The idea

Noun を兼ねる means to serve in two roles or combine purposes; 散歩を兼ねて describes an action that also serves as a walk. Attach かねる to a verb’s ます-stem (判断し＋かねる) to say an action is difficult or cannot be done, often as a formal refusal. 兼ねる is an ichidan verb: 兼ねます, 兼ねて.

Examples

• この部屋へやは会議室かいぎしつと食堂しょくどうを兼かねています。This room serves as both a meeting room and a dining room.
• 彼かれは店長てんちょうと料理長りょうりちょうを兼かねています。He is both the manager and the head chef.
• 散歩さんぽを兼かねて、駅えきまで歩あるきます。I will walk to the station and take a stroll at the same time.
• 申もうし訳わけありませんが、そのご要望ようぼうには応こたえかねます。I am sorry, but we cannot accommodate that request.
• 情報じょうほうが足たりないため、すぐには判断はんだんしかねます。Because there is not enough information, I cannot make a decision immediately.
• 私わたしはその意見いけんには賛成さんせいしかねます。I am unable to agree with that opinion.

Watch out

Do not confuse stem＋かねる with the separate かねない, which warns that an undesirable event could happen. かねます can communicate a firm refusal even though it sounds indirect.

Try it yourself

1. 店長てんちょうと料理長りょうりちょうを＿。（兼ねています／応えかねます）

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   兼ねています

   兼ねています describes one person holding both positions.

2. そのご要望ようぼうには＿。（応えかねます／兼ねています）

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   応えかねます

   応えかねます politely states that the request cannot be met.

3. 判断はんだんする → 判断はんだん＿。

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   しかねます

   する has the ます-stem し, so 判断しかねます means a decision cannot be made.

Use it today

Describe a room with two uses, then politely decline a request using a verb stem plus かねます.