This phrase means 'it is not true that...' or 'it does not mean that...'. You use it to say something is not entirely the case.
Verb [dictionary form] + わけではないPrimary
い-Adjective + わけではない
な-Adjective + な + わけではない
Noun + の + わけではない
This phrase means 'it is not true that...' or 'it does not mean that...'. You use it to say something is not entirely the case.
英語が話せないわけではないが、会議で発言するのは少し苦手だ。
It's not that I can't speak English, but I'm a little uncomfortable speaking up in meetings.
昨日パーティーに行かなかったのは、行きたくなかったわけではなかった。ただ、急な仕事が入ってしまったんだ。
The reason I didn't go to the party yesterday wasn't that I didn't want to go. It's just that some urgent work came up.
この料理が嫌いなわけではありません。ただ、今日は食欲がないだけなんです。
It's not that I dislike this food. It's just that I don't have an appetite today.
このデータが全てのケースに当てはまるわけではないが、一般的な傾向を示すものとしては有効だ。
It's not that this data applies to all cases, but it is effective for showing a general trend.
お金がなくて困っているわけではないが、無駄遣いはしたくない。
It's not that I'm in trouble because I have no money, but I don't want to waste it.
This phrase is like saying, "That's not exactly right." You use it to fix a wrong idea someone might have. It helps you say what is really true.
This is like 「〜というわけではない」. They are often the same. But 「〜というわけではない」 can be stronger. It denies something someone said. 「〜とは限らない」 is different. It means something is not always true. It might be true sometimes. 「〜わけではない」 denies a specific reason. It denies a specific meaning in a situation.
Don't use this when you want to say "I didn't eat." You must use the plain form of the verb before this phrase. This includes past tense, negative, and past negative forms. For example, use "tabeta wake dewa nai" (it's not that I ate). Use "ikitakunai wake dewa nai" (it's not that I don't want to go). For "na" adjectives and nouns, you can also use "datta" for past tense. For example, "kantan datta wake dewa nai" (it's not that it was easy).
Often confused with(2)
Track your mastery
Kumi's KMT system tracks your mastery across kanji, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. Create a free account to use it on 220,000+ concepts.