ことはない details
write + there's no need to do
kaku koto wa nai
there's no need to do; it's fine not to do
meaning: there's no need to write
一度失敗したくらいで、諦めることはない。
ichido shippai shita kurai de, akirameru koto wa nai.
Even after failing once, there's no need to give up. neutral
あいつは絶対に謝ることはないよ。
aitsu wa zettai ni ayamaru koto wa nai yo.
That guy is never, ever going to apologize. casual
- contraction
- formal
- past
- polite
Examples
there's no need to do; it's fine not to — reassuring or talking someone out of an act they seem set on
一度失敗したくらいで、諦めることはない。
ichido shippai shita kurai de, akiramerukotohanai.
Even after failing once, there's no need to give up. neutral
そんなに謝ることないよ、誰でも間違えるから。
sonnani ayamaru koto nai yo, dare demo machigaeru kara.
No need to apologize so much — everyone makes mistakes. casual
ご自身を責めることはございません。
go jishin o semeru koto wa gozaimasen.
There is no need to blame yourself. formal
never happens; is never the case — the flat antonym of ことがある's "sometimes happens"
あいつは絶対に謝ることはないよ。
aitsu wa zettai ni ayamaru koto wa nai yo.
That guy is never, ever going to apologize. casual
彼の気持ちは変わることはない。
kare no kimochi wa kawaru koto wa nai.
His feelings will never change. neutral
Formation
{V}ことはないattaches to dictionary form
Variant notes
- ことない — は drops in casual reassurance — 心配[しんぱい]することないよ。
- ことはございません — ある keigos to ございます — the customer-facing reassurance register.
Notes
わけがない). Distinct from 〜ないことはない, which negates the other
direction and means the opposite: "it's not that you can't."
Related patterns
Similar
なくてもいい neutrally waives an obligation the listener already has in mind ("you may skip it"); することはない goes further and actively reassures or dissuades — 心配することはない tells someone their worry itself is unwarranted, a stance なくてもいい never takes.
Lookalikes
One が／は particle apart and near-exact frequency antonyms — 遅[おく]れることがある says it SOMETIMES happens; 遅[おく]れることはない says it NEVER does — misreading the particle flips "sometimes" into "never."
Same こと frame, near-opposite force — ことだ prescribes an action ("the thing to do is…"), while ことはない waives one ("no need to…") — skimming past だ／はない swaps a directive for a reassurance.
One ない apart with opposite logic — ことはない says an act is UNNECESSARY ("no need to"), while ないことはない is litotes for POSSIBILITY ("it's not that you can't") — skimming past the extra ない swaps "don't need to" for "can, grudgingly."
Same meaning
don't have to; it's okay not to
| Pattern | Attaches to |
|---|---|
| なくてもいい |