わけにはいかない

About

The わけにはいかない pattern is a combination of 「わけ」 ("circumstance; situation; reason"), 「には」, and いかない (lit. "won't go").

わけにはいかない has two main usages:

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  ① "cannot very well do..."

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  ② "(I) have no choice but to...".

For usage ①, わけにはいかない attaches to affirmative casual verbs to express that, in spite of wanting to do so, one "cannot very well do X".

E.g. ハワイは行いきたいけど、仕事しごとの事情じじょうで、行いくわけにはいかない。 "I want to go to Hawaii, but due to the situation at work, I can't very well go."

For usage ①, わけにはいかない may be used to imply that someone "can't do X, despite wanting to", even when they may not actually want to.

E.g. これは父ちちからもらったものなので、あげるわけにはいきません。 "I got this from my father, so I can't very well give it away."

For usage ②, わけにはいかない attaches to negative casual verbs to express that one "has no choice but to X".

E.g. 親友しんゆうの結婚式けっこんしきだから、出席しゅっせきしないわけにはいかない。 "It's my close friend's wedding, so I have no choice but to go."

For usage ②, わけにはいかない may also be used to express that "(I) absolutely must do X", due to the circumstance, etc., even when there isn't an obvious societal/moral pressure to do so.

E.g. せっかく日本にほんに来きたんだから、納豆なっとうを食たべないわけにはいかない。 "We've come all the way to Japan, so we absolutely must eat natto."

Summary

• 

  わけにはいかない has two main usages: ① "cannot very well do...", and ② "(I) have no choice but to..."

• 

  For usage ①, わけにはいかない attaches to affirmative casual verbs to express that, in spite of wanting to do so, one "cannot very well do X"

• 

  For usage ②, わけにはいかない attaches to negative casual verbs to express that one "has no choice but to X"