〜(よ)うにも〜ない (~(y)ō ni mo ~nai) — try to ~ but can't (something blocks it)
I try, but some outside reason shuts the road — 'even if I try, I can't.'
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
A typhoon morning, every train stopped. You call your manager: 「会社に行こうにも、電車が止まっていて行けないんです」— 'I'm trying to get to the office, but the trains are stopped so I just can't.'
Meaning
- The will and the effort are there, but an outside reason — trains stopped, no money, no phone number, not enough staff — blocks the way.
- That is what 「〜(よ)うにも〜ない」expresses — with the stress on 'I tried / wanted to'.
How to attach
- Volitional form (行こう・休もう) + 「にも」+ the 'can't' form of the same verb
- With 「する」: 連絡しようにも連絡できない
- The reason can sit in the middle: 休もうにも、人がいなくて休めない
- Sometimes only the reason follows: 結婚しようにも相手がいない
Versus what you know
- The previous point 「VにVない」was a block in your heart (shame, pity); this is an outside block you can see.
- N2It is close in meaning to 「〜ようがない」.
Watch out
It is not for things you skip out of laziness — the reason is always outside your control.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
台風で電車が止まり、会社に行こうにも行けなかった。
たいふうででんしゃがとまり、かいしゃにいこうにもいけなかった。
The typhoon stopped the trains, so even though I tried to get to work, I couldn't.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 電車が止まり = the trains stopped (an outside cause) → 行く → volitional form: 行こう → 「にも」 = even though I tried to go → the same verb's 'couldn't': 行けなかった.
休もうにも、人手が足りなくて休めない。
やすもうにも、ひとでがたりなくてやすめない。
Even if I try to take a day off, we're short-staffed, so I can't.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 休む = to take a day off → volitional form: 休もう → 「にも」 → the reason in between: 人手が足りなくて = we're short-staffed → 休めない = can't take one.
大家さんの電話番号を知らないので、連絡しようにも連絡できない。
おおやさんのでんわばんごうをしらないので、れんらくしようにもれんらくできない。
I don't know my landlord's phone number, so even if I try to contact them, I can't.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 電話番号を知らない = don't know the phone number (the reason) → 連絡する → 連絡しよう → 「にも」 → the 'can't' form of する: 連絡できない.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「パスワードを忘れて、ログイン___ログインできない。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: What is the volitional form of する?
Volitional + にも: ログインしようにもログインできない = I try to log in but can't.
Which sentence is unnatural?
💡 Hint: 'Can't' because of an outside reason, or 'won't' by choice?
〜(よ)うにも is always followed by 'can't' (できない・〜れない) and an outside reason. It cannot express 'I won't' out of laziness.
「財布を家に忘れたので、昼ご飯を買おうにも買えない。」— which meaning is closest?
💡 Hint: Did he try to buy, or not?
〜うにも = 〜うとしても (even when trying). He wants to buy, but without his wallet he can't. The others say 'no need / no intention to buy'.
Your score: /3